ALEXANDRIA POLICE DEPARTMENT
Public Information Office
2003 Mill Road
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
703.838.4636
MEDIA ADVISORY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVEMBER 15, 2005 9:30 A.M.
Police Complete Internal Investigation of Barber Shooting;
Officers Cleared of Any Wrong Doing
Findings to be Presented Tonight at Public Meeting
The Alexandria Police Department has completed its internal investigation into the fatal officer-involved shooting of Lewis Barber, and both officers were found to have acted within department policy.
The internal investigation was a thorough and comprehensive examination of the 20-hour hostage barricade situation which ended on April 27 when Mr. Barber, armed with a loaded gun, was shot by two officers on the Special Operations Team.
The internal investigation found that it was Mr. Barber's actions and his alone that placed the officers in the position of using deadly force. While the outcome of the incident is not one that police were striving for, it did result in the safe rescue of Mr. Barber's son who had been held hostage since his father abducted him at gunpoint the night before.
Chief Charles E. Samarra says, "The use of deadly force by any police officer is always traumatic and it is used only as a last resort to protect life."
A separate criminal investigation was completed in June and presented to Commonwealth's Attorney S. Randolph Sengel who later issued a written legal opinion, finding that the officers' actions were legally justified. Both officers, 22-and 18-year veterans, returned to full duty following the Commonwealth's Attorney's opinion.
Chief Samarra and senior officers who conducted the internal investigation will present the case and their findings to the Alexandria Human Rights Commission. The hearing, which is open to the public, will be held tonight, Tuesday, November 15, at 7 p.m., at Alexandria City Hall (301 King Street) in Room 2000.
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