The shooting of an 18-year-old man by Manassas City (VA) Police early Friday morning has been ruled justified by Prince William County Commonwealth’s Attorney Paul Ebert.
“In my opinion, the officers involved were in reasonable fear of death or serious harm when they used lethal force and therefore their actions were justified,” Ebert said.
Police say Luis Daniel Torres-Molina, 18, of Woodbridge was later identified as the man who anonymously called 911 to report a shooting in Manassas that never happened and described a black Ford Explorer with tinted windows that he was driving himself.
WJLA reports that when officers spotted the SUV, they attempted to make a traffic stop but the driver fled and a pursuit ensued. When he pulled into the George Hellwig Memorial Park at 14420 Bristow Road in Prince William County, the driver hit a tree and a light post, police say. He then got out of the SUV and left it in motion.
When Torres-Molina allegedly pointed a weapon at officers, two of the officers shot him multiple times. A BB gun was recovered at the scene.
Torres-Molina was air-lifted to a hospital with serious injuries. He was treated and later remanded to the custody of the Prince William-Manassas Regional Adult Detention Center.