A Chantilly man has been found not guilty by reason of insanity for a 2024 shooting that killed 31-year-old Hyungjoon Choi. Steve Taehee Ha, 45, was charged with second-degree murder in Choi’s death. He was also charged with the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
The shooting occurred on August 20, 2024, just after 1 p.m. at a Gold’s Gym at 11830 Sunrise Valley Dr. in Reston. The two men did not know each other.
According to Fairfax County’s Police Department, Choi suffered from gunshot wounds to the upper body. He was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries and was pronounced dead. Immediately following the incident, Ha was seen fleeing the gym.
Police called the shooting an isolated and targeted incident. “Our suspect approached our victim in a targeted stance and shot him,” Capt. Kent Bailey, commander of the public affairs bureau of the Fairfax County Police Department, said during a news briefing following the shooting.
Ha entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity in Fairfax County Circuit Court on July 17. He was previously found legally insane and waived his right to a jury trial, FFXNow reported.
Ha will be evaluated by a psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist to determine if he will be committed to an in-patient facility or released with conditions. Circuit Court Judge Michael F. Devine will rule on the case on September 17.
Feature image courtesy Fairfax County Police/Facebook
