Federal prosecutors announced Friday that they will not bring charges against Metropolitan Police Department Officer Epshane Porter for the fatal shooting of a 25-year-old man last autumn. The decision follows a months-long investigation into the November 17, 2025, incident that occurred in Northeast Washington.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, there is “insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges” against the officer.
The case began when Porter and a partner were patrolling near 4725 Minnesota Avenue, N.E. and spotted a group of men. When the group noticed the police, the 25-year-old resident—identified in reports by his initials, D.C.—fled on foot.
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Porter chased the man to a fenced area alongside 1221 47th Place, N.E. During the pursuit and the final confrontation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office stated that Porter gave several commands for the man to show his hands and to “stop reaching for his hip area.”
Investigators report that the man ignored these commands, leading to a “brief physical encounter” during which Porter fired his service weapon. Police later recovered a .45 caliber Glock from the man’s pocket. Although officers attempted life-saving measures, the man died from his injuries.
The investigation was a joint effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the MPD Internal Affairs Division. To reach their conclusion, officials reviewed body-worn camera footage, crime-camera recordings, forensic reports, and radio communications. Ultimately, federal prosecutors found that the evidence did not prove “beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer willfully violated the civilian’s rights.”
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In a statement regarding the closure of the case, the U.S. Attorney’s Office noted that it reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine if legal violations occurred.
The office said it “remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely.”
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