A tragic incident unfolded on Tuesday at the Rosslyn Metro station in Arlington County, Virginia, where a 27-year-old man, Cedric Butler, lost his life after being shot by a police officer. Authorities are now investigating the events that led to this heartbreaking outcome.
It all started earlier that day when Arlington County police were called to the Safeway grocery store on the 1500 block of Wilson Boulevard. There had been reports of a man acting suspiciously. According to police, Butler had been speaking with store employees before he suddenly pulled a knife out of his pocket. Thankfully, no one was hurt, and he left the store before officers arrived.
The situation escalated a short time later at the open-air entrance of the Rosslyn Metro station. Police, working off the suspect’s description, spotted Butler and attempted to take him into custody. However, authorities say he displayed a knife, which led to a physical struggle between Butler and the officers. During this altercation, one officer fired their weapon, hitting Butler.
Butler was rushed to the hospital but, tragically, did not survive. Two officers were also taken to the hospital—one for non-life-threatening injuries and the other for evaluation and treatment.
As part of the Arlington County Police Department’s standard procedure, the officers involved have been placed on administrative leave while the investigation unfolds. The Critical Incident Response Team, a regional group that handles serious incidents in Northern Virginia, is now leading the investigation.
For anyone who might have witnessed what happened or has information about the case, the police are asking for help. They can be reached at 703-228-4180 or through email at [email protected].
