Melvin Chavez dies in fatal Montgomery County shooting
Melvin Chavez dies in fatal Montgomery County shooting
Fatal Montgomery County shooting death of Melvin Chavez – Obituary.
Authorities in Maryland are investigating a tragic shooting involving a Montgomery County police officer that occurred outside a residence in the Wheaton-Glenmont area.
On Saturday evening, just before 7:50 p.m., police received reports of an altercation involving a drunk man who was attempting to fight with neighbors near a home off Janet Road. Within minutes of the dispatch, 31-year-old Melvin Chavez was shot and killed. Officers arriving at the scene encountered Chavez in a yard, mistakenly believing he was armed with a knife, when in reality, he was holding a large grill fork. After refusing to comply with orders to drop the object, he began to move across the street, prompting one of the officers to open fire.
The specifics of the incident remain unclear, and Montgomery County police have refrained from answering questions while the state attorney general’s office conducts its investigation into the legality of the shooting. Key factors to be examined include the distance between Chavez and the officer at the time shots were fired, whether the grill fork could have been misidentified as a knife, and if the officer perceived an imminent threat to his life or safety.
Chavez had recently moved in with relatives in the area, having come from Texas after arriving from Honduras about a year prior. His aunt, Dunia Chavez, expressed that he was in search of work to support his mother back home. She described him as a helpful housemate and emphasized that he was intoxicated during the altercation with neighbors.
Dunia Chavez was not present during the shooting but indicated that the officer likely misjudged the situation. She stated, “It’s an injustice. They didn’t give him an opportunity.”
The attorney general’s office has confirmed the identities of those involved, naming the officer who fired the weapon as Cpl. Cody Hobbs, a veteran of the Montgomery Police Department. The investigation is expected to take several months, with police union president Lee Holland suggesting the preliminary information indicates that the officer’s actions may have been justified given the circumstances.
Witnesses reported that the initial call to police originated from a resident who claimed that a man was behaving aggressively. Dunia Chavez recounted that her nephew had approached neighbors to ask for help with a weed whacker, leading to a confrontation that escalated when he returned home. Afterward, he armed himself with the kitchen fork.
The police arrived approximately three and a half minutes after the call, and within a minute, an officer reported having drawn his weapon on a man with a knife. The situation rapidly escalated, resulting in shots being fired shortly thereafter.
Following the incident, first aid was administered, but Chavez was pronounced dead at the scene, with the grill fork located nearby. Body-worn cameras were in use during the encounter, and footage will be released approximately 20 days post-incident.
Dunia Chavez shared her distress at having to inform Melvin’s mother in Honduras about his death, revealing the emotional toll and the multitude of questions surrounding the incident.
While the investigation continues, attorneys involved have stated their intent to cooperate fully with the attorney general’s office.
Melvin Chavez dies in fatal Montgomery County shooting Fatal Montgomery County shooting death of Melvin Chavez – Obituary. Authorities in Maryland are investigating a tragic shooting involving a Montgomery County police officer that occurred outside a residence in the Wheaton-Glenmont area. On Saturday evening, just before 7:50 p.m., police received reports of an altercation…
Melvin Chavez dies in fatal Montgomery County shooting Fatal Montgomery County shooting death of Melvin Chavez – Obituary. Authorities in Maryland are investigating a tragic shooting involving a Montgomery County police officer that occurred outside a residence in the Wheaton-Glenmont area. On Saturday evening, just before 7:50 p.m., police received reports of an altercation…