Judge Carmen McLean questions why the agent fired
Carmen G. McLeanD.C. Superior Court judge at a preliminary hearing
McLean said the reason the agent fired was completely unclear to her.
“for reasons that are completely unclear to me.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Was HSI Agent Benedict Bebber justified in firing at Phillip M. Brown?
On October 17, 2025, Homeland Security Investigations agent Benedict Bebber fired multiple rounds at Phillip M. Brown's Dodge Durango during a traffic stop on Benning Road in Washington, D.C. Brown was not hit. The Department of Homeland Security said Brown deliberately tried to run officers down and that Bebber fired defensive shots while fearing for his life and others. Brown's lawyers said no officer was in the vehicle's path and pointed to bullet strikes through the driver's side. Two released Metropolitan Police Department body-camera clips capture the gunfire and aftermath but do not show Bebber firing. A judge dismissed Brown's fleeing charge for insufficient evidence, and the U.S. Attorney declined to prosecute Bebber. The dispute is whether Brown's vehicle presented an imminent threat when Bebber fired.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
The report compares Homeland Security’s public descriptions of several shootings with testimony, video and court proceedings.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
McLean considered evidence during a preliminary hearing arising from the encounter.
After the quotation
Her comment reflected the court’s difficulty reconciling the gunfire with the evidence presented.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The judge’s statement directly challenges the asserted justification by saying the reason for firing was unclear.
- Recorded on
- Published here
Corrections to this statement
These notices document reporting corrections, classification changes, and topic-label updates.
Reporting correction
Correction to: Statement by Carmen G. McLean
- Previous language
- The agent fired “for reasons that are completely unclear to me.”
- Corrected language
- for reasons that are completely unclear to me.
We showed the words "The agent fired" inside Judge Carmen McLean's quotation. Those words are the reporter's framing, not hers. The quotation now shows only the phrase attributed to her.
This corrects our account of what happened.
The report compares Homeland Security’s public descriptions of several shootings with testimony, video and court proceedings.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)More from this case
Read the full caseAmnesty condemns the shooting
Amnesty International
“unlawful use of lethal force”Read statement
Not In Our Name says the circumstances did not justify firing
Not In Our Name
“It is not a reason to fire into his car, and it is not why the shooting was left out of two police reports.”Read statement
Merawi Gerima demands charges in the Brown shooting
“It shows in fact that Homeland Security was doing exactly what they did in Minneapolis with Renee Good, using the vehicle as a pretext to try and murder somebody in cold blood. We want charges. We want federal agents charged, we want MPD and investigators charged. You can't nearly murder someone in D.C. and get to go back to work, continue patrolling the streets of D.C.”Read statement
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- The Dispute Index
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- Judge Carmen McLean questions why the agent fired
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- https://disputeindex.com/events/1456-mclean-said-the-reason-the-agent-fired-was
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Judge Carmen McLean questions why the agent fired". First published: 2026-09-22. Last updated: 2026-09-26. https://disputeindex.com/events/1456-mclean-said-the-reason-the-agent-fired-was