BALTIMORE (AP) — A Baltimore police officer who fatally shot a shotgun-wielding robbery suspect at a convenience store did exactly what he was trained to do, the police commissioner said Monday. Kevin Davis said at a news conference that the
BALTIMORE (AP) — A Baltimore police officer who fatally shot a shotgun-wielding robbery suspect at a convenience store did exactly what he was trained to do, the police commissioner said Monday.
Kevin Davis said at a news conference that the uniformed officer, a 17-year veteran whom he did not further identify, had the presence of mind to activate his body-worn camera when he pulled up to a 7-Eleven in northeast Baltimore about 3 a.m.
Police showed body camera footage and video from the store’s surveillance cameras. They showed a man with a sawed-off shotgun handing the clerk a bag, in which the clerk put $26.
The store video shows a marked police car pulling into the parking lot and the robber running out of the store, “with the gun ready,” department spokesman T.J. Smith said.
“The suspect had the opportunity inside the store, when he saw the police car with the steady lights showed up right in front of the business in clear view, to drop his weapon and say, ‘I’m busted. You got me,'” Smith said. “The suspect chose to run outside with a gun ready to go.”
“There was no time for de-escalation whatsoever,” Davis added.
The store video shows the robber being shot and falling just outside the door. Smith said the robber did not fire a shot, and no one else was hurt.
Police recovered the shotgun, which had white tape on it and an obliterated serial number, Smith said. There were no rounds in the weapon.
The man was 20 years old, Smith said, and is suspected of committing numerous commercial armed robberies in which a similar gun was used.
Police did not immediately reply to an email seeking the races of the officer and the suspect.
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Information from: WBAL-TV, http://www.wbaltv.com
