D.C. Teen Shot by Officer Was Hit in Back of Head

"A kid doesn't get shot in the back of the head and then give himself a bunch of traumatic injuries," Lattimer said. "He didn't fall off a building."

Channing Phillips, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office, said it would be inappropriate to comment while authorities are still gathering information and sifting through evidence. But some law enforcement authorities, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the case, said it is possible that DeOnté sustained injuries in a fall immediately after he was shot.

Kristopher Baumann, head of the Fraternal Order of Police lodge that represents the officers, declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation. Both officers have been placed on administrative leave, as is customary in police shooting cases.

Jonathan Arden, former chief medical examiner for the District, said in an interview that blunt force injuries are caused by the body striking something or being hit. He said the key to reconstructing events is looking for patterns that indicate whether the victim was hit or fell to the ground.

"You can have it because you are hit, or you can have impact with a surface," Arden said. "Depending on where you have the injury, and the possible pattern, you can distinguish between being hit and falling down."

For example, a series of impact injuries along bones that tend to stick out -- elbows, knees, cheekbones -- might indicate that the victim fell. "Could one fall cause all those injuries?" Arden asked. "Maybe. I'd want to see the injuries."

The autopsy was performed Sept. 18, the day after DeOnté's death. Besides the medical examiner, four police officers were present for the examination. They were identified by police as two 5th District detectives and two D.C. officers assigned to the crime lab.

Staff writers Keith L. Alexander and Allison Klein contributed to this report.