PGPD Officer Won't Be Charged In Fatal Shooting Of Apartment Resident During Burglary Call

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — A Prince George's County police officer will not face charges in connection to the Feb. 1 fatal shooting of an apartment resident where a burglary in progress had been reported.

On Feb. 1 around 5:25 p.m., Prince George's police officers were called to the Windham Creek apartment complex in the 5100 block of Suitland Road. A resident reported a breaking and entering happening in their apartment but the resident wasn't in the apartment, according to the dispatcher who received the call. The resident who reported the incident also didn't have a description of the suspect, the police department stated.

Once on the scene, Prince George's Police Officer Braxton Shelton, who has four years of law enforcement experience, found 31-year-old Melvin Jay of Suitland in the apartment and gave him orders. During the exchange, the officer discharged his service weapon, hitting Jay, who was pronounced dead on scene. No officers were injured, the police department reported.

Two handguns were recovered from the scene, one in Jay’s pocket and the second in the kitchen sink. The Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division identified Jay as a resident of the home but confirmed that he was not the original 911 caller. Authorities did not say who made the 911 call.

During a news conference held the night of the deadly shooting, Prince George's County Police Chief Malik Aziz said there was "an exchange" between the officer and the man. There were two people inside the apartment at the time of the incident, Aziz said.

"The exchange was not one of gunfire. It was a verbal exchange that occurred with the people who were in the house. Two people were inside the location. One that he encountered he discharged his weapon and the discourse was fatal," Aziz said during the news conference.

The Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division officially reported Oct. 15 that the police officer commanded Jay to walk toward him and show his hands. Instead, Jay moved toward the apartment's kitchen and did not show his hands. Moments later, the officer said he heard a ding that sounded like metal on metal as Jay reached into the kitchen sink and began to turn toward the officer. The officer discharged his service weapon, hitting Jay once. Backup officers arrived moments later who, along with the first officer, administered Jay with medical aid and called for EMS. Jay was pronounced dead shortly after emergency medics arrived.

After completing its investigation and evaluating all the available evidence, the Office of the Attorney General has determined that the officer involved in the fatal shooting did not commit a crime under Maryland law. Accordingly, the Attorney General has declined to prosecute any of the officers in this case.