PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY – (Press Release) The criminal investigation into the officer-involved shooting that occurred on November 4, 2018 on Laurel Street in the Woodbridge area of Prince William County has been completed. This investigation was conducted by detectives from the Prince William County Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division and was reviewed by the Prince William County Commonwealth’s Attorney Office for a determination of criminal liability concerning the officers’ actions, as well as the suspect’s actions, during the incident. In the interest of keeping the residents of Prince William County informed of significant incidents involving our officers and the community, further details of the investigation and the ruling of criminal liability are being publicly disclosed.
On November 4, 2018 at approximately 5:41PM, the Prince William County Public Safety Communications Center received a 9-1-1 call from an individual reporting that his grandson, later identified as Brett Anthony Monteith, was bleeding and holding a firearm at their residence located at 1106 Laurel Street. An update reported that Brett was last seen running out of the back door to the residence where the caller lost sight of him. The call was dispatched to responding officers at 5:42PM as a shooting-in-progress with injuries. The first responding officers arrived at the home at approximately 5:44PM and faced immediate gunfire from the roof area of the residence from a man armed with a .22 caliber rifle. At 5:45PM, patrol supervisors monitoring the call, and hearing that the officers were being fired upon, declared a “Signal 1” — officer in trouble, calling for all available units to respond to the scene. Four officers were on scene at the time shots were fired towards police. Two officers at the scene returned fire on the suspect, ultimately striking him in the upper body, before subduing him in front of the residence at approximately 5:49PM. During the shooting, one of the officers on scene was struck by a round fired from the suspect, striking the officer in the back, across the exterior ballistic vest. The officer was seen at an area hospital as a precaution. No other injuries were sustained other than to the suspect. Officers rendered aide to the suspect prior to medical crews arriving on scene. The suspect was transported to an area hospital with serious injuries and has since been released. He is currently incarcerated at the Adult Detention Center.
