HUNT VALLEY, Md. — Two Baltimore County Officers are on a routine administrative leave for shooting and killing a suspect in a series of stabbings at the Hunt Valley Towne Centre Saturday afternoon.
On Tuesday, police said officers Wise and Brocato shot and killed 31-year-old Jamaal Taylor after he refused to drop his knife and was getting too close to traffic and other people.
Baltimore County Police and Fire have also released the chaotic 911 dispatch calls and communications of the incident.
According to police, officer Brocato is a 13-year department veteran assigned to the Community Resources and Wellness Section. He has one prior departmental shooting.
Officer Wise is a 4-year-veteran assigned to the Cockeysville Precinct and has no prior departmental shootings.
Detectives are also working with the Maryland Transit Administration Police Department to investigate if Taylor was responsible for a sixth assault that took place earlier Saturday at the Upton subway station in Baltimore City.
What police do know for sure is that he ended up at the Hunt Valley Towne Centre at around noon. Police said security at the shopping center had escorted Taylor away from Hunt Valley Wine, Liquor, and Beer but when he returned an hour later, threatening people with a box cutter, they called police.
RELATED: Police shoot, kill suspect who allegedly stabbed five people at Hunt Valley Towne Centre
As police were responding at around 1:45 p.m., they got word that Taylor had assaulted three victims at the liquor store, then another at Peet's Coffee and Tea and one more at Noodles & Company.
According to Noodles & Comapny spokeswoman Danielle Moore, a customer was stabbed while out on their patio.
"We are shocked by this senseless crime and are working closely with authorities to determine the sequence of events," said Moore.
Police said Taylor went back to the liquor store again before leaving the shopping center. They caught up with him a block away, at the intersection of Shawan and McCormick Roads.
Officials said Taylor was armed and refused several orders to drop the weapon at which point he was fatally shot.
"Our officers were trying to communicate with the suspect, trying to talk with the suspect. He’s not following any of the requests of our officers to drop the knife... He continues to walk away from them, walking directly towards traffic that is on McCormick Road, so our officers felt they had no other choice at that point but to act," said Baltimore County Police Cpl. Shawn Vinson.
Originally, police said Taylor stabbed five people, but Monday they corrected that and said he assaulted five victims and stabbed three.
Out of the three victim's stabbed, one was a liquor store employee, and the other two were customers outside neighboring businesses, including the one at Noodles & Company.
Two additional liquor store employees were also assaulted.
"The initial victim was struck with an object. We are just still trying to put the details together at this point," said Vinson.
There is body camera video that police are reviewing and may release at a later date.
"This was a random incident and the suspect was not known to us before this weekend. Hunt Valley Towne Centre has a comprehensive security program with professionally trained staff. The team works in close collaboration with Baltimore County Police to provide a safe and secure environment. We are very thankful to our security team for using their training and skills when reacting to Saturday’s unfortunate incident. We’re relieved that there was no life- threatening injuries to our guest. We will continue to use all our security processes and protocols to keep our guests as safe as possible in the future," said Michelle Schiffer, Vice President of the Hunt Valley Towne Centre's management company, Greenberg Gibbons.
Online court records show Taylor had two previous convictions for burglary and assault in Baltimore City.
Baltimore County Police released a statement as well regarding the incident.
On Saturday afternoon, on a mild Fall day at the busy Hunt Valley Towne Centre, a man, armed with a knife, began randomly attacking shoppers. Fortunately, there was a quick response from members of the Baltimore County Police Department who were able to quickly stop the threat. Further, members of the Baltimore County Fire Department rapidly rendered aid to victims. I hope for a speedy recovery for the victims of this brazen attack.
Our officers used the force that they believed necessary, under the circumstances, to protect the citizens of Baltimore County. Any loss of life is unfortunate and tragic, and we recognize the trauma associated with this situation.
While we continue to review the circumstances that led to this situation, I want to again express my gratitude to the men and women of this Department who acted swiftly and courageously to bring a quick resolution to this unpredictable incident. We are appreciative of our local, state, and federal partners for their outreach and assistance during and following this incident.
