Body-worn camera footage has been released showing the fatal police shooting of Shawn Valn inside a 7-Eleven in Arlington, Virginia, after a nearly three-hour standoff.
Valn, 33, was shot by two Arlington County police officers on May 8 after he allegedly moved towards them with a knife raised above his head. He was taken to hospital but later died.
The footage, released on Friday, shows officers responding to a 911 call at about 6.19pm concerning a man who had threatened a woman outside the shop on Columbia Pike. Police said Valn was holding a knife when they arrived and then went inside the store, where he barricaded himself in a back room.
Most customers and employees escaped, although one worker briefly hid in a bathroom before leaving through a rear door.
Officers and crisis negotiators spent several hours trying to persuade Valn to surrender. Warrants were obtained accusing him of assault and obstruction of justice in connection with the original incident, according to Arlington County police. ([arlingtonva.us](https://www.arlingtonva.us/About-Arlington/Newsroom/Articles/2026/CIRT-Investigates-Officer-Involved-Shooting-on-Columbia-Pike?lang_update=639178531430300269&utm_source=openai))
Police shooting at Arlington 7-Eleven
At about 9pm, officers breached the door of the storage area but withdrew after seeing Valn with the knife. Police then used Tasers, less-lethal rounds and a police dog in an attempt to take him into custody.
When officers tried again, police said Valn lunged towards them while holding the knife over his head. Two officers opened fire. The confrontation shown in the footage lasted less than 20 seconds.
A knife was recovered at the scene. Two officers were taken to hospital as a precaution after the incident and were later released, police said. ([arlingtonva.us](https://www.arlingtonva.us/About-Arlington/Newsroom/Articles/2026/CIRT-Investigates-Officer-Involved-Shooting-on-Columbia-Pike?lang_update=639178531430300269&utm_source=openai))
The Arlington County Board said Valn’s death was a tragedy and that it had deeply affected the local community and county government.
The release of the footage follows calls for greater transparency over the incident. In September, the board directed the county manager to publish video of the shooting by October 16, saying the material should set out the key events and timeline while respecting ongoing investigations. ([arlingtonva.us](https://www.arlingtonva.us/About-Arlington/Newsroom/Articles/2026/Board-directs-Release-of-Police-Involved-Shooting-Video-by-October-16?utm_source=openai))
The Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office has asked the court to convene a special grand jury to examine the shooting and determine whether there is probable cause to support criminal charges.
Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti said the office’s duty was to establish whether the evidence showed that a crime had been committed, while ensuring the process was fair and independent. A special grand jury can subpoena witnesses and experts, but its proceedings are confidential under Virginia law. ([arlingtonva.us](https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Departments/Courts/Commonwealth-Attorney/Commonwealth%E2%80%99s-Attorney-News/Commonwealth%E2%80%99s-Attorney-Seeks-Special-Grand-Jury-in-May-8-Officer-Involved-Shooting?utm_source=openai))
The Northern Virginia Critical Incident Response Team, an outside investigative unit, is also examining the shooting. Arlington County said most of that investigation had been completed by August, although some final steps remained at that stage.
Once the criminal investigation is finished, the Arlington County Police Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility and the Office of the Independent Policing Auditor are expected to conduct a separate administrative review of whether department policies or procedures were followed. ([arlingtonva.us](https://www.arlingtonva.us/About-Arlington/Newsroom/Media-Resources/Media-Response/Arlington-County-Board-Statement-on-May-8-Officer-Involved-Shooting?utm_source=openai))
The officers involved remain restricted to non-field duties while the investigations continue.
