On May 17, 2017, Daniel George Boak, a 28-year-old Caucasian male from Centreville, Virginia, was fatally shot by police in Arlington, Virginia. The events leading to his death began when police identified the truck he was driving on Interstate 395 as belonging to a wanted individual. An attempt to pull him over was unsuccessful, as Boak maneuvered around the officers and exited the highway at Glebe Road, where he became stuck in heavy traffic.
As officers approached his vehicle on foot, Boak was given verbal commands which he ignored. He then drove his truck into an officer, pinning her against another vehicle. In response, two officers fired at Boak, striking him four times. After being freed, the injured officer was taken to a hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was later released. Boak was transported to Virginia Hospital Center, where he was pronounced dead.
At the time of the incident, Boak was wanted on a warrant for allegedly attempting to falsify a drug test. An autopsy revealed the presence of cocaine and morphine in his system, and drugs were also found in his vehicle. He had prior convictions for drug violations, reckless driving, and eluding police. In September 2017, the Commonwealth's Attorney for Arlington County announced that the officers involved in the shooting were justified in their use of deadly force and would not face any charges, considering the matter closed.
