Outgoing Virginia Governor Pardons Former Officer Sentenced for Killing Alleged Shoplifter
What to Know
- Youngkin issued an absolute pardon to Wesley Shifflett, a Fairfax County officer convicted of reckless firearm discharge in a fatal shooting.
- The incident involved Shifflett firing at Timothy Johnson during a pursuit outside Tysons Corner, with no weapon found at the scene.
- Shifflett was acquitted of involuntary manslaughter but convicted of reckless discharge, leading to a three-year prison sentence later vacated by the governor.
RICHMOND -- Former Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued an absolute pardon to a former Fairfax County police officer convicted in a fatal on-duty shooting, according to a state document cataloging pardons issued shortly before Youngkin left office.
The pardon applies to Wesley Shifflett, a former Fairfax County police officer convicted in 2024 of reckless use of a firearm in the 2023 shooting death of Timothy McCree Johnson outside Tysons Corner Center, according to WUSA-TV.
In early 2025, Youngkin had already granted Shifflett clemency, vacating a three-year prison sentence imposed following the conviction.
In the written pardon, Youngkin stated, “The deadly force used by Sgt. Wesley Gonzalez Shifflett on February 22, 2023, was both lawful and consistent with the department’s policy and training.”
Shifflett was acquitted by a jury of involuntary manslaughter, the most serious charge he faced. The jury found him guilty only of reckless discharge of a firearm.
The shooting occurred in February 2023 after Shifflett pursued Johnson outside the mall for allegedly stealing sunglasses from Nordstrom. According to trial testimony and evidence, body-worn camera footage showed Johnson running into a wooded area after officers ordered him to stop and get on the ground. Shifflett fired two rounds, one of which struck Johnson in the chest.
During the trial, Shifflett testified that he believed Johnson was reaching for a firearm from his waistband. Investigators did not locate a weapon on Johnson or at the scene.
Prosecutors argued that Shifflett acted recklessly by firing in a dark, wooded area without warning and with disregard for the safety of others. Shifflett’s defense maintained that his actions were consistent with training and were intended to protect the community. Shifflett’s attorney warned that imposing a prison sentence would have a chilling effect on officers required to make split-second decisions in high-risk encounters.
When asked for comment on the pardon, the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office referred WUSA9 to a statement released earlier following the commutation of Shifflett’s sentence.
At that time, Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano criticized Youngkin’s decision, stating, “Glenn Youngkin has spent the last four years honing his Trump impersonation, and now he’s following in his footsteps by commuting sentences just to score political points. This is an insult to all Virginians who value an untainted justice system.”