The footage shows a foot chase and struggle before a single shot killed 25-year-old David Childs.
WASHINGTON — D.C. police released body-worn camera video Friday from a fatal Nov. 17 encounter in the Deanwood neighborhood that left 25-year-old David Warren Childs dead. The edited community-briefing clip includes portions of the officer’s camera, radio traffic and a still image of a handgun recovered at the scene, according to police.
The release comes as the Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Bureau investigates the shooting and the U.S. Attorney’s Office conducts an independent review. Officials say the officer was patrolling after complaints about gunfire when he spotted what appeared to be a gun in Childs’ waistband, leading to a chase and struggle on 47th Place NE. The footage has renewed pressure from Childs’ relatives and community advocates for clarity on the officer’s tactics, as city leaders cite transparency rules requiring timely publication of videos after deadly force incidents.
The video begins with officers on proactive patrol around 8 p.m. on Nov. 17 near Minnesota Avenue NE, reflecting a deployment that police say followed a community meeting about shots heard the night before. The clip shows an officer exiting a vehicle and pursuing a man on foot. During the chase, the officer yells commands to stop. The video then cuts to the 1200 block of 47th Place NE, where the officer closes in and a brief physical struggle occurs. Audio captures commands to show hands and not reach for a waistband. A single gunshot is heard, and the officer immediately calls for D.C. Fire and EMS. “The officer demonstrated great restraint during the struggle,” Executive Assistant Chief Andre Wright said earlier in the week, describing the sequence that led to the shooting.
Police identified the man as David Warren Childs of Northeast Washington and said a firearm was recovered nearby. The officer’s name has not been released. Officials say the officer is on administrative leave, which is standard after deadly force. The video, edited to blur faces and omit graphic content, mirrors the department’s format for community briefings and includes captions describing times and locations. It does not show every moment from the first sighting to the final shot; officials say that is common for briefings while a case remains under review. It is not yet clear how many total shots were fired during the incident; authorities have said at least one round struck Childs, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Relatives who viewed the footage said it raised concerns about the chase and whether alternatives were available. Family members questioned why the officer closed distance during the struggle if a gun was believed to be present. Advocates in Ward 7 echoed those concerns, pointing to past cases where the sequence of commands and movement became central to later findings. City leaders, including the ward’s council member, issued statements offering condolences and calling for a thorough inquiry. In prior remarks, the council member emphasized that “transparency and de-escalation must remain top priorities” while investigators gather records, radio logs and evidence. Police officials maintain that the officer issued repeated commands and acted when Childs reached for his waistband.
The location sits east of the Deanwood Metro station, in a residential block where officers have stepped up patrols this fall. Police say the Nov. 17 deployment included MPD officers and members of a city task force responding to neighborhood concerns about gunfire. The department publicly posted a still image of the recovered handgun and listed the incident time as about 8 p.m. Investigators have canvassed for additional video and interviewed witnesses. As of Friday, authorities had not released the officer’s length of service, disciplinary history or the precise number of officers on scene when the shot was fired. Officials have also not said whether the recovered firearm was loaded or whether forensic testing tied it to recent shootings reported by neighbors.
D.C. policy calls for prompt publication of body-camera clips after deadly force incidents, accompanied by narration and context. The department maintains a portal where 2025 releases are grouped by date and location. Earlier this year, the agency posted footage from two February shootings along Georgia Avenue NW and marked the releases as part of the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Amendment Act. The Deanwood case now moves onto a familiar track: an internal use-of-force investigation, an independent prosecutorial review and, typically, a public packet compiled for the Use of Force Review Board that includes reports and exhibits. Those materials are generally posted after the internal process concludes.
Officials say the Force Investigations Team is leading interviews and evidence collection in the Deanwood case. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia will assess whether any criminal charges are warranted. Separately, the Use of Force Review Board will evaluate whether the officer’s actions met department policy. No hearing dates have been posted. If a grand jury is convened, that process is confidential; if prosecutors decline charges, they typically issue a letter explaining the decision. The medical examiner’s report, including wound path and toxicology, is pending. Police have not released the officer’s body-camera file in full beyond the edited community briefing while the probe continues.
On the block where the shooting happened, residents described a heavy police presence in the days after. Yellow tape had stretched from rowhouse to rowhouse the night of Nov. 17 as detectives photographed the sidewalk and driveway area. A neighbor who asked not to be named said she heard shouting and a single loud crack, then saw officers rendering aid. “It all happened fast,” she said. Another resident, returning from work during the release Friday, said he watched the posted video and wanted “every second and angle” shared once the investigation allows. A pastor who counsels families after violence said the community was “hurting and waiting for straight answers that can hold up in court and in people’s hearts.”
Childs had prior arrests in the District, including gun-related charges in 2022 and 2023, according to public records cited by local outlets. Relatives said those past cases do not change their questions about the officer’s tactics that night. Legal analysts note that investigators will weigh the totality of circumstances, including the reported sighting of a gun, the decision to pursue on foot, the struggle on a narrow residential block and the split-second moment when the officer fired. Policies governing foot pursuits, distance, and commands during potential gun encounters may be central to the internal policy review and to any civil litigation that could follow.
As of Friday evening, MPD had not announced the officer’s name, citing open investigative steps. The department said additional materials may be released later, including 911 calls and more camera angles, once witness interviews and evidence collection are complete. The next major milestone is the completion of Internal Affairs’ case file for prosecutorial review, followed by a Use of Force Review Board meeting. Police said updates will be posted to the department’s public transparency pages when available. Childs’ family plans a vigil this weekend in Northeast Washington, according to relatives, and says it will continue to seek more information about the final minutes of his life.
Author note: Last updated November 28, 2025.