Bernadette Armand says the shooting lacked justification
Bernadette ArmandCivil-rights attorney for Phillip M. Brown
Armand and co-counsel E. Paige White said in a joint statement to WUSA9 that the short clip MPD released supports their position that Brown was nearly killed by his own government for no reason.
“Though MPD only released a short clip of its officer's BWC footage, it underscores what attorneys for Mr. Brown asserted since the shooting—he was nearly killed by his own government for no reason.”
Reporting
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
Yahoo News carries WUSA9's report on the release of D.C. police body-camera footage. It quotes a joint statement to WUSA9 from Phillip Brown's attorneys, E. Paige White and Bernadette Armand, that the current WUSA9 page no longer shows.
Reporting
About this source
WUSA9 report on the release of D.C. police body-camera footage, quoting Brown's attorneys E. Paige White and Bernadette Armand. The joint statement from both attorneys appears in the copy of this report syndicated by Yahoo News. The current WUSA9 page no longer shows it.
Before the quotation
MPD released two body-camera clips capturing the gunfire and aftermath, though not Bebber’s trigger pull.
After the quotation
The legal team said Bebber was not in Brown’s trajectory and that the footage contradicted the claim that he faced a threat.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The statement expressly calls the shooting unjustified.
- 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 Bernadette Armand
- Previous language
- While MPD released only a brief segment of the officer’s body camera footage, it highlights what Mr. Brown’s legal team has maintained since the incident—he was nearly killed by his own government without justification.
- Corrected language
- Though MPD only released a short clip of its officer's BWC footage, it underscores what attorneys for Mr. Brown asserted since the shooting—he was nearly killed by his own government for no reason.
We showed a reworded version of a joint statement from Phillip Brown's attorneys, E. Paige White and Bernadette Armand, as their exact words. The quotation now shows the statement as WUSA9 reported it. We added the syndicated copy of that report that carries the statement, because the current WUSA9 page no longer shows it.
This corrects our account of what happened.
Yahoo News carries WUSA9's report on the release of D.C. police body-camera footage. It quotes a joint statement to WUSA9 from Phillip Brown's attorneys, E. Paige White and Bernadette Armand, that the current WUSA9 page no longer shows.
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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- Bernadette Armand says the shooting lacked justification
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Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Bernadette Armand says the shooting lacked justification". First published: 2026-09-22. Last updated: 2026-09-26. https://disputeindex.com/events/1482-armand-and-co-counsel-e-paige-white-said