The Arlington County Police Department has issued a response to claims of possible excessive force used in an incident resulting in the death of a Washington, D.C. man who died after a struggle with police last Sunday.
William Bumbrey, 36, was pronounced dead at the hospital after being tasered and struggling with police at the Pentagon City Metro following a larceny call on Jan. 17.
The following is the press release from the Arlington County Police Department:
The Arlington County Police Department is aware that the attorneys representing the family of Mr. Bumbrey have released a statement alleging that there may have been excessive force used in this incident. While we empathize with the family for their loss, it is premature for anyone to draw such conclusions, as the investigation is not yet complete. At this stage of the investigation, we have received no information that would indicate that the officers involved used any excessive or unreasonable force.
Detectives from the Homicide/Robbery Unit have maintained regular contact with the family regarding the progress of this investigation.
The Arlington County Police Department continues to conduct a comprehensive criminal and administrative investigation into to this matter and it is important to note that the Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet submitted its final report and the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office has not yet made a ruling into the matter.
The request for the release of any video depicting this event will not be granted. At this point in the investigation, release of any related video evidence may be detrimental to the investigation. The release may make it difficult for detectives to determine if potential witnesses are reporting what they actually observed or what they viewed in a publicized video.
We ask that anyone with additional information or anyone who may have witnessed this incident at the Pentagon City Metro stop on the night of January 17, 2010, please contact Detective Alan Lowrey at (703) 228-4199.
