Annandale Man Charged After Allegedly Grabbing Officer's Gun

ANNANDALE, VA — Fairfax County police have released body camera still images showing the moments an Annandale man allegedly grabbed an officer's handgun during Tuesday's officer-involved shooting, along with photographs of two knives investigators say were discarded before the confrontation.

Police also announced Wednesday that Nehemia Noel Fuentes Banegas, 26, of Annandale, has been charged with attempted disarming of a law enforcement officer, a Class 6 felony, after investigators say he tried to take an officer's firearm during a search in a wooded area off Americana Drive. He is being held without bond, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 29 in Fairfax County General District Court.

The newly released body camera still shows the suspect's hands on the officer's handgun during the struggle. Police also released a photograph of the two knives they say were recovered after investigators used camera footage from Fairfax County's Real Time Crime Center to retrace the suspect's movements following the domestic incident.

The arrest follows Tuesday morning's officer-involved shooting near the 7000 block of Sutter Lane. As Patch previously reported, officers responded shortly before 10 a.m. after a woman called 911 to report her husband was threatening her, armed with knives and harming himself.

Police: Suspect Grabbed Officer's Firearm

According to Fairfax County police, officers arrived to find that Fuentes Banegas had left the home on foot after allegedly stabbing himself during a domestic dispute. Investigators said he was believed to be carrying two knives, prompting officers to establish a perimeter and call in K-9 officers and the police helicopter to search a nearby wooded area.

Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said during a news briefing that three officers entered the woods after conducting what he described as a slow, methodical search lasting about 15 minutes.

Davis said Fuentes Banegas suddenly emerged from heavy brush and grabbed an officer's holstered handgun.

"I've watched this body camera footage ... at least 50 times," Davis said, on Tuesday. "Our suspect takes his right hand, he grabs the firearm that the police officer had ... wrapped around the frame of that firearm."

The officer fired three rounds while simultaneously another officer deployed a Taser, Davis said. One bullet grazed Fuentes Banegas's upper right shoulder, causing what police described as a non-life-threatening injury. No officers were injured.

Davis said the officer retained control of his weapon throughout the struggle.

"It took him two hands to pull that gun back," Davis said. "Thankfully, our officer never relinquished possession of the firearm."

Police immediately rendered first aid before Fairfax County Fire and Rescue personnel transported Fuentes Banegas to a hospital. After being medically cleared, he was taken to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.

Investigators Recover Two Knives

Police said investigators later used footage from approximately 30 privately owned cameras registered through the department's Connect Fairfax County program to retrace Fuentes Banegas' movements after he fled the home.

According to Davis, detectives observed him discarding the two knives before entering the wooded area and later recovered both weapons.

Police said investigators believe the knives were used to cause self-inflicted wounds and to threaten his wife during the domestic incident. Davis said the injuries from the self-inflicted stabbing appeared to be superficial puncture wounds to the suspect's thighs.

Davis also said the suspect has "a significant domestic violence past" involving the same victim, although he declined to discuss specific prior criminal history. Police are continuing to investigate whether additional charges related to the domestic incident will be filed.

Officer Placed On Restricted Duty

The officer who fired his weapon is a 12-year veteran assigned to the department's K-9 Unit, according to police. Under department policy, the officer has been placed on restricted duty pending separate criminal and administrative investigations. The officer's identity is expected to be released within 10 days, and body-worn camera footage is scheduled to be released within 30 days. The criminal investigation will be reviewed by the Fairfax County Commonwealth's Attorney, while Internal Affairs and the county's Police Auditor will conduct independent reviews.