PARKVILLE, Md. — Three police officers have been cleared for their roles in a deadly shootout in Baltimore County last November.
Arnel Redfern, 52, was killed by officers after shooting his wife, Maxine, inside their Parkville home.
Officers Burns, Langley, and Schanberger were initially called to the 2700 block of Maple Avenue for a domestic disturbance.
On scene they heard Maxine screaming from inside the home.
As Maxine tried opening the door Arnell shot her three times in front of police.
Officers retreated and surrounded the home, only to hear more screaming and two more gunshots.
Arnell then came outside and exchanged gunfire with officers.
Despite life saving efforts, both Arnell and Maxine died. No officers were injured.
An autopsy revealed Maxine was shot a total of 15 times. Ballistic testing indicated at least one of those rounds was fired by police during the shootout.
MORE: Parkville woman killed last year got caught up in shootout between husband, police
Arnell was hit five times after firing eight shots, according to prosecutors.
A follow-up investigation noted Arnell and Maxine were separated at the time of the shooting, but still lived together.
Police had been to the couple's home multiple times for domestic disputes in the months leading up to the shooting.
That October Maxine was granted a protective order after a court found evidence that Arnell committed false imprisonment and abuse against her. The protective order was served about a month-and-a-half before the shooting.
Here is what the Maryland Attorney General's Office concluded in declining to charge the officers involved.
"In short, given the brief time and distances involved in this incident, the officers had no reasonable alternative to deadly force. Because the officers had no reasonable alternatives to deadly force, their shooting Mr. Redfern did not constitute excessive force. And because the force used was not excessive, there would be no way to prove that any officer intentionally used excessive force. Therefore, the subject officers did not violate the Maryland Use of Force Statute in Mr. Redfern’s death."
