BALTIMORE — A man was shot by Baltimore City Police overnight Thursday.
The shooting occurred around 1:45am as police were closing down establishments in the 400 Block of E. Baltimore Street, also known as "The Block," next to police headquarters.
Police say they spotted a group of people fighting. When an officer approached to break it up, a man walked up pointing a gun at the crowd.
"There was a verbal altercation that was quickly escalating to a physical altercation, and the officer was looking directly at it and did exactly what he was supposed to do, he began to pursue it to deescalate it but as he was approaching began to observe this subject pointing a gun at that group, and quite frankly at him as he was making that approach," said Police Commissioner Michael Harrison.
When the gunman saw the officer in the group he started to run. Police gave chase and at some point, the suspect turned back towards the officer prompting shots to be fired.
"It's a very very brazen act but it shows the disregard for human life the lack of respect for authority the lack of respect for following rules and regulations, and laws," said Harrison.
No police were injured.
The shooting victim underwent surgery and is expected to survive.
"In no circumstance is it okay for a grown man to point a gun at a group of people let alone a group of women," said Mayor Brandon Scott. "I'm very thankful to the work of our police officers, this could have been a shooting of multiple people by someone who wanted to resolve a conflict in the way of pulling out a gun."
