Credit – Prince George’s County Police Department
BALTIMORE — Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025, he will not pursue charges against two Prince George’s County police officers who fatally shot a man armed with a knife in Oxon Hill earlier this year.
The Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division said Corporal Phillip Johnson, 56, and Lieutenant James Martinez, 32, acted lawfully when they opened fire on 44-year-old Aevon Roy Bucknor Jr. on April 20.
The encounter came hours after authorities said Bucknor stabbed two people and set fire to an apartment in Fort Washington. Both victims were critically injured, and police issued a countywide alert before receiving additional 911 calls about a fight and possible gunshots near Bucknor’s home in Oxon Hill.
Body-worn camera footage shows Bucknor holding an eight-inch knife as he ignored repeated commands to drop it. Investigators said he first lunged toward Martinez, then advanced on Johnson. Both officers retreated while continuing to issue orders before firing.
Bucknor, struck once in the chest, walked roughly 160 feet before collapsing and dropping the knife. Officers provided aid until medics arrived. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
An autopsy found the fatal shot pierced Bucknor’s lung, and toxicology tests showed a blood alcohol content of .26 percent. The Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide, a term used for statistical purposes rather than a legal finding of liability.
Prosecutors reviewed potential charges, including excessive force and homicide offenses, but concluded the officers’ actions were justified as self-defense under Maryland law. The report noted the officers attempted to de-escalate by backing away, but Bucknor’s refusal to comply created “an imminent threat of death or serious injury.”
The Attorney General’s Office released its full investigative report Tuesday, including body-camera stills and legal analysis:
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