In a recent incident in the Alexandria, Virginia area, the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) identified the man shot and killed by police as 38-year-old Brandon Lemagne from Newport News. The police department released Lemagne’s name after the incident occurred on May 11th during the afternoon
The incident began around 4:05 p.m. when Lemagne drove past a license plate reader, which alerted authorities that the U-Haul truck he was driving had been reported stolen. An officer spotted the truck in the 6300 block of Richmond Highway. After pulling into a gas station parking lot, Lemagne exited the truck and walked away.
According to the FCPD, video footage shows the officer and Lemagne engaging in a conversation before walking towards the officer’s cruiser. The officer informed Lemagne that he would be detained due to the stolen U-Haul, taken from Richmond on May 3. It was at this point that Lemagne allegedly attacked the officer, attempting to take the officer’s gun from its holster. A struggle ensued, during which Lemagne reportedly held onto the officer’s gun, striking him in the head and dragging him across the gas station parking lot in an attempt to remove the firearm.
Lemagne then opened the door to the cruiser and forced the officer into the vehicle. The cruiser was placed in reverse and accelerated backward, trapping the officer beneath Lemagne. Despite the perilous situation, the officer managed to call for emergency assistance, stating that Lemagne had his gun, which was still holstered at that moment.
During the chaotic incident, the cruiser collided with two vehicles and a business before coming to a stop. Even then, Lemagne continued to assault the officer. When two other officers arrived at the scene, one of them fired his gun while Lemagne was still on top of the officer. The second officer intervened, removing Lemagne from the cruiser, and subsequently fired his weapon.
As a result of the gunfire, Lemagne lost his life. The officer who initially approached Lemagne was taken to the hospital for treatment of his injuries but was later released. Throughout the assault, the officer’s duty belt remained on him, with the gun securely holstered.
The officers involved in the incident, a 24-year veteran and an eight-year veteran of the force, have been placed on restricted duty status in accordance with department policy. The criminal investigation into the use of force will be conducted by the Major Crimes Bureau, and body-worn camera footage will be released within 30 days as per department guidelines. The results of the criminal investigation will be presented to the Office of the Commonwealth’s Attorney.
Additionally, the FCPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau is conducting an administrative investigation, and an independent review by the Police Auditor is also underway. The names of the involved officers will be disclosed within 10 days, following the department’s policy.
