FAIRFAX, Va. - The FBI will review the shooting of an unarmed Fredericksburg man who was killed during a Fairfax County police chase.
David Masters, 52, was killed in November at a Richmond highway intersection after he refused to pull over for police, who were chasing him for allegedly stealing flowers.
Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney Ray Morrogh, who cleared the unidentified officer of any criminal charges on Wednesday, says he's confident the FBI will come to the same conclusion.
"That's a good thing" Morrogh says. "Another level of assurance for the public that they can trust their public officials and these matters are handled fairly and they're looked at without bias."
Morrogh says the FBI review isn't routine, but it's not rare, either.
Masters had a history of mental illness and police believe he was reaching for a weapon after he struck a police officer with his SUV.
The police officer is a six-year veteran of the Fairfax County force.
There were no witnesses to the incident. Morrogh says he found no evidence of malicious intent or recklessness.
Gail M. Masters, David Masters' ex-wife, says she's disappointed with Morrogh's decision.
Since 2005, nine people have been killed in Fairfax County police-involved shootings. Twelve people have been wounded.
"I believe a federal judge made a comment recently in one of those cases that it isn't an alarming number given the population," Morrogh says.
Fairfax County's population is just more than one million