Update: Man Dies from Injuries in Fairland Shooting

Police responded to a domestic violence incident in this townhouse development. | Google Maps

Update, 9:10 a.m. Thursday, July 26: John Carlos Natera-Perez died from his injuries Wednesday evening, police said. His body has been taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy, according to a police statement.

Original post: Montgomery County police have offered new details in the domestic violence incident in Fairland on Monday night that led to a police officer shooting a man.

The man, John Carlos Natera-Perez, also known as Jean Perez, remains in grave condition. Police on Tuesday evening said he is not expected to survive.

The officer who shot him has been identified as Officer Edward Cochran, an eight-year veteran of the police department who is currently assigned to the Tactical Unit (SWAT Team), police said. He is on administrative leave per department protocol, police said.

Officers arrived at the home, in the 2800 block of Mozart Drive, just before 8 p.m. Monday. As police reported originally, a 911 call taker heard a woman screaming and a male voice say, “I will kill you.” The line then disconnected.

When the first officer arrived, he saw Perez standing in the townhome doorway, holding a knife and wearing blood-stained clothing.

The officer called for Perez to leave the home, police said. Instead, Perez stepped back into the home and shut the front door.

A woman, later identified as a resident of the home and Perez’ ex-girlfriend, was standing outside in front the house. She told the officer that her 3-year-old son was upstairs in his bedroom. The woman further said Perez had entered the home, confronted the woman and her boyfriend, and assaulted them before the two were able to flee, police said.

Officers also learned from the woman that Perez was the father of the boy.

Officers unsuccessfully tried to contact Perez. The Emergency Response Team (ERT) was called to the scene at approximately 8:08 p.m., police said.

Once ERT members arrived, negotiators contacted Perez via a loud speaker, in English and in Spanish, instructing him to leave the home or release the boy, police said. Although Perez made some verbal responses, he refused to leave and refused to release the child, police said. These negotiations continued for more than an hour.

During this time, officers saw Perez use furniture to barricade doors and windows. Officers also saw Perez writing on the windows using what appeared to be blood on his fingers, police said.

About 10:15 p.m., officers saw Perez light something on fire and throw it out a second-floor bedroom window. Several minutes later, the child was heard screaming, police said.

Perez then began to light clothing on fire. Smoke was seen coming from the bedroom and the townhome’s smoke alarms began to sound, police said.

Tactical team supervisors decided to enter the home over concerns for the child’s welfare, police said. After police entered the home, Perez was shot while he was in the master bedroom. Police had earlier said he was shot in the upper chest.

Officers found the child unharmed on the bed in the master bedroom. Officers also found a bloody knife on the bed.

The child was taken from the home by tactical officers. Officers and Fire & Rescue personnel administered life-saving efforts on Perez and he was taken to a local hospital.

A search of the home revealed charred clothing in two areas of the second floor. A flammable liquid and three lighters were in the master bedroom.

Detectives, searching court documents, found a history of prior domestic violence between the Perez and the woman, police said. According to the woman, this violence occurred as recently as three weeks ago when Perez assaulted her and their son.

This investigation is ongoing.

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