Officer in fatal Prince George’s County shooting will not be charged, Maryland Attorney General says

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, Md. ( DC News Now ) — Maryland’s Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced Tuesday that he would not be charging the Prince George’s County police officer involved in a fatal shooting back in February.

Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD) officer Braxton Shelton, 33, responded to the report of a break-in at about 5:25 p.m. in the 5100 block of Suitland Road. The caller told 911 that someone broke into his apartment and was taking items from his home.

Dispatchers told Shelton that the caller was not home and there was no description of the suspect.

The officer went into the apartment after noticing the door was open and encountered 31-year-old Melvin Jay, who officials later learned lived in the apartment. He told Jay to come toward him and show his hands.

Jay moved toward the apartment’s kitchen, however, and did not show his hands.

Shelton said he heard a “ding” that sounded like “metal on metal” as Jay reached into the kitchen sink and began turning toward him, the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) said.

That’s when Shelton fired his service weapon once, shooting Jay in his right temple, according to an Independent Investigations Division report .

Before collapsing onto the floor, Jay had an object in his left hand, later determined to be a cell phone.

More officers arrived at the scene and provided him with aid and called for EMS. Jay died from his injuries shortly after emergency medics arrived.

The OAG noted that a gun was found near Jay in the kitchen sink and another was recovered from his jacket pocket.

Though he was not the 911 caller, he did live in the apartment.

After investigating, the OAG “determined that the subject officer involved in the fatal shooting did not commit a crime under Maryland law.” After these findings, Brown said they would not be charging Shelton.

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