Trial Begins for Ex-Officer Charged in Fatal Shooting of Unarmed Shoplifting Suspect

Wesley Shifflett faces involuntary manslaughter charges in the death of Timothy McCree Johnson near a Virginia shopping mall.

Wesley Shifflett, a former Fairfax County police sergeant, is on trial for involuntary manslaughter and reckless discharge of a weapon.
Timothy McCree Johnson, 37, was shot and killed on February 22, 2023, after allegedly stealing sunglasses from a Nordstrom store.
Body camera footage shows Shifflett ordering Johnson to stay on the ground and to 'stop reaching' before firing the fatal shot.
Prosecutors argue Shifflett acted recklessly, while the defense claims he believed Johnson was reaching for a weapon.
The Fairfax County Police Department fired Shifflett following the incident for violating use-of-force policies.