Emanuel David Oates, 24

Randallstown, Maryland
February 19, 2019

Agencies: Baltimore County Police Department

Cause of death: Shooting

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Last updated: almost 4 years ago

Overview

Baltimore County police said a machete-wielding shoplifting suspect has died after being shot by two officers inside a Randallstown ALDI Tuesday.

The suspect has been identified as 24-year-old Emanuel David Oates.

Police said the names of the officers will be forthcoming.

Police said earlier Oates was swinging a machete and threatened officers.

The shooting was reported just before 4:30 p.m., at the Liberty Court shopping center, on Liberty and Old Court roads, for a theft from the Dollar Tree.

A Dollar Tree employee approached a police officer at an unrelated crash in the ALDI parking lot to say a suspect just shoplifted at the store, county police reported Wednesday.

When the officer approached the suspect, he walked away and refused to cooperate, walking down the road, said police.

More officers arrived on scene and one grabbed the suspect by the arm, but the suspect pulled out a machete and "swung the knife at that officer," said police.

The suspect fled into the ALDI supermarket with the machete, as officers commanded him to drop the weapon, said police.

The suspect advanced toward the officers, causing them to back up into a wall near the entrance, and two officers fired their weapons at him, striking him at least once in the upper body.

Police said body camera of the incident may be made available by the State's Attorney's Office at a later time.