FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) - A northern Virginia police chief is calling on the FBI to release in-car video that he says shows the fatal shooting of a motorist after a chase involving U.S. Park Police.
Twenty-five-year-old Bijan Ghaisar of McLean died last month after he was shot by Park Police. Authorities say Ghaisar fled after being involved in a crash on the George Washington Parkway. The FBI is now investigating the shooting.
Fairfax County police Chief Edwin Roessler said at a news conference Monday that his officers, who provided backup in the pursuit, obtained in-car video showing the shooting.
Roessler said he wants the FBI to release the video before it finishes its investigation, which could take months.
An FBI spokeswoman said she can’t say if or when the video will be released.
Roessler emphasized that he has full confidence that the FBI will conduct a thorough investigation and he understands that the FBI cannot immediately make an important piece of evidence public now, while officers are still being interviewed for the investigation. After those interviews are completed, though, he recommended that the FBI release the video even if its investigation is not fully complete at that point.
Roessler said he favors releasing the video in the name of transparency.
He acknowledged that he could release the video himself because it’s his agency’s property but said he did not want to interfere with the FBI probe.
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