# Virginia Killing By Officer Draws Ire



## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

*Story by nbc4.com*

The parents of a man who was shot and killed by an off-duty Alexandria police officer early Saturday morning said their only child will be missed, but not forgotten.

Aaron Brown, 18, of Springfield, was killed by an officer working as a security guard at an IHOP restaurant on Duke Street.

Police said that an employee told the officer at about 3:40 a.m. that a group of customers had left without paying. Spokeswoman Amy Bertsch said the officer attempted to stop the customers from fleeing in a Jeep Grand Cherokee and that he fired at the vehicle when it traveled toward him.

Brown, a back-seat passenger, was hit by a bullet and died at the scene. Three other people in the Jeep were not hurt.

Brown's parents said police told them the officer fired four to five shots at the Jeep.

While the FBI investigates the shooting, Brown's parents said the incident could have been avoided.

"It should not have happened," said Brown's mother, Cherie. "It was senseless and completely out of control. It just happened so fast that those kids were just, you know, it was situation they didn't know how to handle. And suddenly it just was out of control. And in an instant, they killed my son."

Brown was a talented musician who loved to play guitar. The Annandale High School graduate was attending Northern Virginia Community College. His parents said he probably would have become a music teacher.

"He loved it," Jeff Brown said. "And there was nothing more wonderful than to watch him and listen to him play."

Aaron was the Browns' only child.

"He was the light of my life, the apple of my eye," Cherie Brown said. "And he'll always be in our hearts."

Stephen Smith, 19, of Alexandria, who was driving the vehicle, has been charged with driving while intoxicated and possession of marijuana.

The police officer has been placed on administrative leave.

Previous Story:


February 26, 2006: FBI Investigates Police Shooting 
Copyright 2006 by nbc4.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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## SOT (Jul 30, 2004)

New phrase...Dine and Die when you dine and dash


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