Baltimore, Maryland
March 24, 2017
Agencies: Baltimore Police Department Maryland
Cause of death: Shooting
Last updated: almost 6 years ago
The family told police they believed the man was on drugs, and he appeared "highly agitated" to responding patrol officers as he brandished a knife toward a 4-year-old girl and a 1-year-old boy, Smith said. The patrol officers declared a barricade situation and called in the SWAT team for backup, Smith said.
Negotiations with the man lasted about an hour before a SWAT officer, fearing the children would be injured, shot the man "as a last resort," Smith said."Out of fear for the absolute safety of those children who had a knife in close proximity to them, on their bodies, being pointed at their bodies, officers were forced to fire a round," Smith said. "Deadly force had to be used. This was not a scenario where less lethal [force] was an option, because if it didn't go right, we could be standing here talking about an injured or deceased 4- or 1-year-old."