The fatal shooting of unarmed Bijan Ghaisar by US Park Police prompted federal investigation and eventual manslaughter charges against two officers.
Key Facts
- Victim age
- 25 years old
- Date of shooting
- November 17, 2017
- Days until death
- 10 days after shooting
- Officers charged
- Lucas Vinyard and Alejandro Amaya
- Charges filed
- Manslaughter and reckless discharge of a firearm
- Charges announced
- October 2020
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
A traffic collision along the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Northern Virginia prompted a vehicular chase involving US Park Police officers Lucas Vinyard and Alejandro Amaya, assisted by Fairfax County Police. The circumstances leading to the chase originated from the collision involving Bijan Ghaisar.
On November 17, 2017, US Park Police officers shot Bijan Ghaisar, an unarmed 25-year-old American, at the conclusion of the vehicular chase. Ghaisar was struck and died ten days later in a hospital. Fairfax County Police released a video of the shooting to the public.
The FBI investigated the shooting, and in October 2020 officers Vinyard and Amaya were charged with one count of manslaughter and one count of reckless discharge of a firearm. The officers claimed self-defense in court filings. Fairfax County prosecutors had earlier sought an indictment following review prompted by a change in the prosecutor's office.