Maryland man dead after shootout with Howard County police, investigators say
BALTIMORE-- A man was found dead after a shootout and a more than two-hour standoff with police in Howard County on Saturday, according to the Maryland Office of the Attorney General (OAG).
Police responded around 3:10 p.m. to the 10000 block of American Pharoah Lane in Laurel for a domestic dispute. According to the Attorney General's Office, a man got into a home after shooting at the front door and then climbing through a window.
Howard County police said body camera footage showed officers encountering a woman on an outside upper ledge of the house and a man at a window inside the home with a long gun.
The man didn't comply with police commands from the second-floor window, and he exchanged gunfire with two officers in broad daylight, officials said.
After a more than two-hour barricade, the Howard County police tactical unit went into the home and found the man dead from gunshot wounds. Several loaded firearms and a knife were found near the man.
The man was later identified as 29-year-old Tyree Winslow of College Park, according to the OAG. It is unclear whether he was killed by police gunfire or by his weapon.
The OAG identified the involved officers as Police Officer First Class (PFC) Christopher Weir, a 14-year veteran, and PFC Joseph Debronzo, who is a 15-year veteran.
Officers said three people evacuated from the home and there were no other injuries.
"It seemed like something out of a movie, I couldn't believe it was happening," said neighbor Michael Cornish. "Normally, you see people walking their dogs. It's pretty peaceful."
Cornish said he was in his townhouse when police arrived in his neighborhood, which he described as quiet.
"My girlfriend said that she heard some gunfire, so I looked outside the window, and I saw a bunch of cop cars," Cornish said. "I saw cops hiding behind a red truck taking cover."
Several cars were parked along American Pharoah Lane, including a red truck with several bullet holes, and evidence markers. A townhome at 10052 American Pharoah Lane had several townhomes with busted windows that were boarded up.
Video of the barricade
Another neighbor shared this video with WJZ showing the intense moment when tactical forces made entry into the home. That neighbor also said officers were using a drone to locate the man inside the home.
The entire neighborhood was locked down for several hours, and neighbors were not allowed inside or out.
Officers on administrative leave
The Maryland Attorney General's Independent Investigation Division has taken over the investigation, which is standard protocol after a shooting involving an officer.
"The idea is if you have an Attorney General who is coming in to investigate these incidents, it removes the opportunity for a local agency to seem biased either in favor or against a local police department," Eric Bacaj, an independent legal expert who is not involved in this case, told WJZ.
The involved officers have been placed on standard administrative leave, according to Howard County police.
The Attorney General's Office said it plans to release the names of the two officers as well as the deceased victim later this week. It also said it plans to release the body camera video later this month.
That timeline could be adjusted per the investigation.
