A man allegedly selling drugs in a Landover neighborhood was killed Thursday night during an officer-involved shooting.
Officers were called to the 7800 block of Sheriff Road around 9:15 p.m. after a tip from a community member said a man armed with a gun was selling drugs and "terrorizing the community". Narcotics officers and emergency service teams responded to the call and headed to Sheriff Road.
When officers got to the scene, they approached the man, but he ran away.
The man only made it about 25 yards away before two officers were able to tackle him. The man and the officers struggled, and during the fight one of the officers noticed the man reaching for a gun in his waistband. The officer then fired his gun, hitting the suspect.
"The emergency team's officers, and this is very important, observed that individual with a handgun, and that individual, by the account of the officers, was reaching for that handgun. They then tried to prevent him excessing it and pointing it at them, and in that process one of the two officers perceived a direct threat both to himself and the other officer and discharged what we believe to be no more than three rounds, but again this is preliminary," explained Police Chief Henry Stawinski at a news conference Thursday night.
A medic that was already at the scene immediately began providing emergency aid to the man. At 11:30 p.m. the man was in surgery, but despite life-saving measures, he died.
Chief Stawinski was asked to elaborate on why the community member said the man was "terrorizing the community" to which he said preliminary investigations indicate he may be involved in a series of robberies. He said he may be involved with a loose group of criminals who commit robberies in the area.
The Chief also said that a number of narcotics, cash, and a handgun were also found on the suspect.
No officers were injured during the incident.
