A Washington, DC, police sergeant was charged with murder in connection to a 2021 shooting of a Black man who was reported to be unconscious in his car.
Federal prosecutors in Washington unsealed an indictment on Tuesday charging Metropolitan Police Department Sgt. Enis Jevric, 41, with a federal civil rights violation and second-degree murder in the death of An'Twan Gilmore, 27.
“We have found that most officers use force only when necessary,” US Attorney Matthew M. Graves said in a statement. “In these investigations, we follow the evidence and the law. In the overwhelming majority of these cases, criminal charges would not be appropriate. But when an officer willfully disregards the safety of a citizen he is sworn to protect, he violates the trust placed in him by virtue of his badge.“
According to bodycam footage released by DC police, officers responded to a report of a driver who appeared to be unconscious behind the wheel of a running car at 2:45 a.m. in August 2021. The officer who arrived on the scene saw Gilmore unresponsive, with his foot on the brake pedal and a handgun in his waistband.
Authorities called for backup and surrounded Gilmore, who was still unconscious, and attempted to wake him up by tapping on the window. When Gilmore woke up, he put the car in motion. Jevric, who has been on the force for about 15 years, fired several shots at the moving vehicle.
Gilmore was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Jevric, who was arraigned on Tuesday, pleaded not guilty according to the Washington Post. If found guilty, he could face a maximum penalty of life in prison.
“Law enforcement officers take an oath to serve and protect our communities, and should be held to the highest standards,” David Sundberg, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, said in the statement.
A spokesperson for the DC police department did not immediately respond to a request for comment but told the Washington Post that Jevric is on administrative leave with pay. Jevric’s attorney did not respond to a request for comment.
Jevric is also facing a separate civil suit from Gilmore’s family accusing the officer of wrongful death and excessive force among other claims.
“Defendant Officer Jevric owed Mr. Gilmore a duty of care to only discharge his firearm under circumstances where a reasonable police officer would be afraid for his life,” the civil suit states.