Police shoot armed man near Northeast Baltimore library, child care center

Baltimore police officer shot and critically injured an armed man Thursday after the man pointed a gun at the officer near a Northeast Baltimore shopping center, police said. The shooting happened near a library and child care center.

The shooting occurred around 12:15 p.m. in the 3900 block of Erdman Avenue, according to the Baltimore Police Department.

The officer was working a crime suppression operation in a marked patrol vehicle when he approached the man and began speaking with him, said Col. Ryan Lee, chief of patrol for the department.

The man fled when the officer got out of his vehicle and approached him, Lee said.

"The officer gave chase. The male continued to flee from the officer when he pulled out a firearm and pointed it at the officer," Lee said. "The officer fired multiple rounds, striking the individual."

Responding officers provided medical aid before the man was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition, Lee said.

Police have not identified the man but believe he is an adult. A firearm was recovered at the scene, Lee said.

Lee said investigators do not yet know what prompted the officer to approach the man or why the man ran. However, police said they reviewed body camera footage and confirmed the man turned and pointed a firearm at the officer, who fired "to protect his own life."

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott called the shooting "a traumatic incident for this neighborhood" during a news briefing.

"We will not have individuals willingly walking around carrying firearms. And pulling a firearm out in a place which ... right next to a library, right next to a childcare center," Scott said.

The Enoch Pratt Free Library's Herring Run Branch and a child care center are near the scene.

"We are lucky that our police officer was not injured," Scott said. "We have viewed the body camera footage and it shows you exactly what Colonel Lee said happened today."

Community reacts to shooting near library, child care center

The shooting in the middle of the day left neighbors shaken, particularly because it happened near places used by children and families.

"I heard eight gunshots. They sounded so close that I kind of got down and ducked from the windows, and when I looked out, you could see the police running across the street," a witness said.

The witness said a man lay on the ground for several minutes before officers began trying to revive him.

Police said the officer was working overtime on a crime suppression operation in response to concerns about criminal activity in the neighborhood.

Baltimore resident Arthur Kelly described watching the encounter from his window.

"I saw the dude backing up, walking that way, and then I saw the police jumping out, whatever they were doing," Kelly said.

Another neighbor, who identified herself as Terry, said she was frustrated by the violence and worried about its impact on the community.

"I am so tired of hearing brazen cowards, whatever, what are we going to do?" Terry said. "If we can't stop this, there's got to be a change. We're losing our loved ones. Until it happens to you, a person is never gonna understand."

She added, "I am so tired of this. I am sick of just the fact that another somebody's child is gone."

Scott said the investigation is ongoing and emphasized the need to protect both officers and the public.

"While we await the outcome of that investigation, I want to underscore that we will not tolerate violence against BPD officers doing their jobs, and we cannot have individuals dangerously wielding firearms in our communities, especially near libraries and child care centers, which should be safe spaces," Scott said. "We are fortunate that others were not injured."