World News | Family, FBI reach $5M settlement over Park Police shooting

FALLS CHURCH (USA) April 22 (AP) — The family of a Northern Virginia man shot dead by U.S. Park Police has reached a $5 million settlement in a civil lawsuit against the government.

In November 2017, two police officers shot and killed Bijan Ghaisar, 25, of McLean after a stop-and-go chase on George Washington Memorial Parkway outside the nation’s capital.

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Ghaisar was unarmed, but officers said they feared for their lives when Ghaisar’s car came to a stop and wobbled forward, standing outside with weapons.

The civil settlement comes after more than five years of legal wrangling and criticism of Park Police’s excessive use of force and lack of transparency.

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Federal prosecutors declined to indict the two officers, Lucas Vinyard and Alejandro Amaya, following a two-year investigation by the FBI. At the time, Fairfax County U.S. Attorney Steve Descano filed manslaughter charges against the officers in state court. That has sparked a tug-of-war between state and federal officials over who has the authority to prosecute the case.

In October 2021, a federal judge dismissed the manslaughter charge brought by Descano’s office. The judge ruled that the officers were entitled to immunity and that their actions were appropriate in the circumstances.

Even though the criminal charges were dropped, Geisal’s family continued to file a civil lawsuit alleging wrongful death.

The Ghaisar family said it was against their own policy for the police to pursue Ghaisar, who was unarmed when the police opened fire.

The settlement was detailed in court documents filed Friday in federal court in Alexandria, describing the deal as a compromise. It said Geisal’s parents, James and Kelly Geisal, will receive $3.75 million and their attorneys will receive $1.25 million.

The settlement still needs to be approved by a judge.

Dashcam footage captured shows the pursuit starting on Park Avenue before continuing into residential areas. It shows the car driven by Ghaisar stopping twice during the chase, with officers approaching the car with guns. In both cases, Ghaisar drove away.

At the third and final stop, the officers drew their guns again and approached, with Amaya standing in front of the driver’s door. Amaya opened fire when the car started moving. Seconds later, when the car started moving again, both Amaya and Vinyard fired multiple shots. (Associated Press)

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