BALTIMORE — Baltimore police shot and killed a man in northeast Baltimore for allegedly attempting to run an officer over with a car.
Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said the officers were assigned to that area to investigate a string of armed robberies and carjackings in that district.
Shortly after 3 p.m. today, license plate readers alerted officers to a person who had a warrant open for a robbery.
Harrison said the officers followed the car until it stopped in the 1800 block of Chilton Street. They approached the car on foot.
The suspect got out of the car and started running but then got back in the car. Police say he drove the car toward an officer hitting him. That officer shot at the car and an officer running next to the car also shot into the car.
The suspect got out of the car and surrendered but had been shot. The officers rendered aid and the suspect was take to the hospital where he died.
The officer hit by the car is expected to be fine. The other two officers weren't injured.
Commissioner Harrison said, "I just want to say that our officers were in an area doing exactly what we asked them to do to try to prevent armed robberies and catch those who commit armed robberies."
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said, "Our officers were in this neighborhood today because of the armed robberies and carjackings that have been happening here over a period of time, where women and schoolchildren have been robbed and carjacked, and that's why they were here. We are thankful for their work and thankful they didn't have any serious injuries or any of our neighbors. I offer condolences to the family of the deceased. We know the investigation will now take place."
The officers were part of the mobile metro unit that is deployed to different parts of the city based on crime trends. They help supplement the normal police patrols in a district.
All the officers were wearing body cameras and that video will be turned over to the Attorney General's Independent Investigations Unit division who will look into this incident.
The suspect's name and the names of the officers involved haven't been released at this time.
