Preliminary findings released in Aug. 17 shooting involving PWC Police officer

A preliminary review of the August 17th officer involved shooting which occurred on Tory Loop in Woodbridge has been completed. In the interest of keeping our community informed of significant incidents involving our officers and our efforts to remain transparent, further details of that incident are being publically released.

On August 17th at 6:36PM, officers were dispatched to a home in the 13100 block of Tory Loop in Woodbridge to investigate a domestic disturbance between Yonatan Marufe, 25, and his 47 year old step-mother.

Initial information indicated that both parties were involved in a verbal altercation and that Yonatan had broken an interior door in the home.

The first officer made contact with the step-mother in front of the residence who relayed that Yonatan has a history of mental illness.

The officer went to the front door of the home, announced himself and called for Yonatan. After receiving no response, and believing that Yonatan may be in the process of harming himself based on the step-mother’s description of his behavior, the officer entered the residence with the step-mother and went to an upper floor where Yonatan was last seen.

When the officer reached the top of the steps, Yonatan appeared suddenly in front of the officer, armed with a knife which he then raised towards the officer and the step-mother.

In an attempt to create distance, the officer stepped back and lost his footing, falling back into the step-mother and down the stairs.

Yonatan continued aggressively advancing down the steps towards the officer with the knife. At that point, the officer pulled his service weapon and shot towards Yonatan striking him once in the shoulder area.

Yonatan sustained a non-life threatening wound and was transported to an area hospital where he was treated and released later that night.

The officer and the step-mother sustained injuries from the fall and were also treated at an area hospital; both are expected to make a full recovery.

Following the investigation Yonatan was charged with attempted aggravated malicious wounding of a law enforcement officer and attempted aggravated malicious wounding. Yonatan remains in custody at the Adult Detention Center with a preliminary court date set for October 14, 2015.

According to Prince William County Commonwealth Attorney Paul Ebert, “The officer was justified given the circumstances and acted appropriately.”
                                         
Prince William County Police Chief Steve Hudson commented, “I fully support the officer’s actions in this case and feel they were justified with the situation he faced. We hope everyone involved in this incident makes a speedy recovery and that Yonatan receives the proper treatment he needs.”

The Police Department’s administrative investigation is continuing, but has preliminarily found this officer involved shooting to be justified and objectively reasonable. The final review will be conducted by the Department’s Police Deadly Force Shooting Review Board which will examine the details of the incident.

The officer involved in the shooting was identified as Officer Hector Figueroa, a 30 plus year law enforcement veteran with 8 years of service with the Prince William County Police Department.