The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating a police-involved shooting that occurred in the 1700 block of Trenton Place, SE.

At approximately 1:35 pm on Monday, September 14, 2009, officers from the Seventh District responded to the 1700 block of Trenton Place, SE to investigate the trouble. Upon arrival, they were confronted by a man armed with knives, who claimed to have murdered and dismembered his sister inside of a residence located within that block.  The officers repeatedly ordered the suspect to drop his weapons; however the suspect failed to comply and advanced toward the officers. Subsequently, the officers, in imminent fear for their lives and the lives of others, fired their service weapons at the suspect, striking him.  Police later determined that the suspect’s sister had not in fact been harmed.

The suspect was transported by personnel from the DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department to the Washington Hospital Center’s MedSTAR Unit where he was pronounced dead at 2:24 pm. He has been identified as 58-year-old Robert Lee McFarlin, Jr., of the 1700 block of Trenton Place, SE.

There were no reported physical injuries to the male officer and female involved in this incident. Those members, a 31-year-old male Master Patrol Officer with 8 years on the department, and a 41-year-old female officer with 3 years on the department, both of whom are assigned to the Seventh District, have been placed on routine Administrative Leave with Pay in accordance with departmental protocol.

The circumstances surrounding this police involved shooting remain under active investigation by members of the department’s Force Investigation Team, which falls under the Internal Affairs Bureau. The results will be turned over to the United States Attorney’s Office, which is standard operating procedure for all fatal police-involved shootings.