On Feb. 22 2023, police sergeant Wesley Shifflett shot and killed Timothy McCree Johnson in an incident that has since sparked extensive controversy and debate around the use of deadly force by law enforcement. Johnson had reportedly fled after being caught shoplifting two pairs of sunglasses from the Nordstrom inside Tysons Corner Center. Police confronted him in a poorly-lit wooded area following a short foot pursuit. After issuing two commands to get on the ground, Shifflett fired two rounds at Johnson, striking him in the chest. He was pronounced dead 44 minutes later at Fairfax Hospital.
During his testimony last fall, Shifflett affirmed that he had reason to believe that Johnson, unarmed, was about to produce a firearm from his waistband. The sergeant cited suspicious movements, such as the repeated “back-and-forth motion” Johnson made with his right hand, as the reason behind his decision to fire.
During the trial, prosecutors reiterated that Shifflett acted ______, claiming that he “handled a firearm in a manner so gross, wanton, and culpable as to show a reckless disregard for human life.” Among the variety of arguments presented to the court, the defense maintained that Shifflett used deadly force in fear of his life and acted in accordance with the training, expectations, and duties of a police officer.
On Oct. 4 2024, the grand jury acquitted Shifflett of involuntary manslaughter and convicted him of reckless handling of a firearm. At his sentencing hearing on Feb. 28 2025, Circuit Court Judge Randy Bellows delivered a sentence of 3 years in prison and 5 years of probation.
Days after the sentence was issued, Shifflett was granted clemency by Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. In a statement, Youngkin emphasized his belief that the court’s decision is “unjust and violates the cornerstone of our justice system.” “Sgt. Shifflett has no prior criminal record, and was, by all accounts, an exemplary police officer,” Youngkin said. “It is in the interest of justice that he be released immediately. “
Johnson, 37, is survived by his mother, Melissa Johnson, a primary advocate for Timothy’s justice. At a news conference, she stated that the Governor’s decision to commute Shifflett’s sentence triggered painful memories of losing her son. “It felt like I could hear my son’s voice crying out from the dirt at Tysons Corner mall again, saying, ‘Why did you shoot me? I didn’t have anything,” she said.
Fairfax County Commonwealth’s attorney Steve Descano similarly expressed his outrage at the Governor’s involvement in the case. “For political reasons, Glen Youngkin stuck his face in where it didn’t belong,” Descano said. “If you care about having a fair justice system of Virginia that’s untainted by outside influence, Glenn Youngkin just spit in your face.”
