Fatal MoCo Officer-Involved Shooting Investigation Concluded By Attorney General

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — No charges will be filed in the case of a Montgomery County police officer who fatally shot a man armed with a grill fork in September 2024, state investigators said Tuesday.

Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced his decision not to seek charges in the Wheaton shooting. The Office of the Attorney General Independent Investigations Division reviewed the shooting.

The fatal shooting happened Sept. 21 in the 3400 block of Janet Road after Montgomery County police received a 911 call reporting an assault. According to a news release, officers confronted Melvin Omar Chavez-Paz, 31, in a yard holding something in his right hand, and shouted commands at the man to “drop the knife.”

Chavez-Paz did not comply, began to cross the street and Corporal Cody Hobbs fired his service weapon, striking the man, police said.

Related: Bodycam Footage Shows Moments Before MoCo Police Fatally Shot Man With Grill Fork

Police body-worn camera footage from Hobbs' camera showed him approaching a group of people who appear upset and telling them to calm down. Someone in the group then points out Chavez-Paz, who walks out from behind a house on the other side of the street.

Chavez-Paz then begins crossing the street toward Hobbs and the group of people with something long clutched in his hand, partially blocked by his forearm. Hobbs notices the item, takes out his gun, points it at Chavez-Paz and demands multiple times that he "drop the knife."

According to the bodycam footage, Chavez-Paz refused to drop the item that investigators later determined was a grill fork. In the video, he is seen approaching Hobbs and the group of people. Hobbs then opens fire, striking Chavez-Paz.

Officers immediately rendered medical aid and called for EMS, but Chavez-Paz was pronounced dead at the scene. A large grill fork was recovered near his body.

Hobbs was placed on administrative leave following the shooting, which is department protocol.