Jose Alvarez, 23, of Woodbridge, Virginia
The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred in Temple Hills on Monday morning. The deceased suspect is 23 year old Jose Alvarez of the 3700 block of Del Mar Drive in Woodbridge, Virginia.
The preliminary investigation reveals that on September 17, 2018,at 7:21 am, a citizen called 911 asking for officers to be dispatched to the 3300 block of Huntley Square Drive after seeing a suspect stealing items from his car. As requested, officers responded and saw a man matching the description given by the caller. As one patrol officer attempted to speak to the suspect, the suspect ran across the street to Brinkley Road and was seen entering an apartment building. While he was running, the suspect tossed two license plates he had stolen earlier. Officers found the suspect hiding in a laundry room and gave him repeated verbal commands to surrender but he did not comply. The officers and the suspect then began to struggle. One officer attempted to use a taser on the suspect, but it did not take effect. The suspect then produced a handgun from his waistband. One of the officers managed to get his hand on the suspect’s gun in an attempt to prevent him from pointing it at any of the officers. The suspect fired his gun. Based on initial forensic analysis of the suspect’s gun, the involved officers’ guns, and additional video evidence, we have now learned that the suspect fired his weapon twice. One of the officers returned fire one time, striking the suspect.
Jose Alvarez was pronounced dead at the scene. The officer who grabbed the gun did suffer an injury to his hand when the suspect discharged his weapon.
The suspect’s gun was recovered in the laundry room, it is pictured below.
A resident in the apartment complex recorded the police presence outside of her building moments before the shooting took place. The resident’s cell phone recording captures the sounds of the three gunshots.
The involved officer in this morning’s incident is now on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation which is standard procedure. The Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office reviews all officer-involved shootings.
If anyone has information in this investigation, they are asked to please call detectives at 301-856-2660. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Solversat 1-866-411-TIPS (8477), or go online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, or use the “P3 Tips” mobile app (search “P3 Tips” in the Apple Store or Google Play to download the app onto your mobile device.)
