Commissioner: Suspect Fatally Shot After Opening Fire On Baltimore Police Officers In Unmarked Car, Injuring 1
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A city police officer was injured and a suspect was killed in a southwest Baltimore shooting Monday morning, according to police.
Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said the officer, who is part of a warrant apprehension task force, was working a surveillance operation in a domestic violence case in the area of Westwood Avenue and North Ellamont Street around 9:40 a.m. when the shooting occurred.
During the operation, Harrison said a suspect drove onto the block, got out of his car and opened fire on the police officers in the unmarked police vehicle, striking one of the officers in the upper thigh.
That's when one of the officers returned fire onto the suspect, striking him multiple times. Officers rendered aid to the suspect and injured officer until EMS arrived, the police commissioner said. Both were taken to Shock Trauma for treatment.
The suspect was pronounced dead at 10:15 a.m. Harrison said his identity will be withheld until his family is notified of his death.
Harrison said the officer is in good condition and in "good spirits."
"His injury is non-life threatening and the prognosis is good," the Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police union tweeted.
The suspect's firearm was recovered at the scene, Harrison said.
"The message is clear -- this violence has to stop, but the members of our police department are proactive and where they were supposed to be, doing what they were supposed to do, looking for a violent offender," Harrison said.
Baltimore Mayor-elect Brandon Scott wished the officer a speedy recovery and stressed those who commit gun violence in the city will be held accountable.
"You cannot and will not be able to walk around the city with guns and not be held responsible," Scott said.
The shooting also drew the attention of the national Fraternal Order of Police, which tweeted in part "The attacks on our law enforcement officers have to stop!"
Some neighborhood residents are skeptical that a change in city leadership will lead to an end in the violence.
"It's the people. Our people is what's tearing down this neighborhood," Althea Wilkerson said."We're the ones who are killing each other. It's us."
Homicide detectives will take over the investigation, and an internal investigation will be conducted into the officers' roles in the shooting.
Chopper 13 was over the scene:
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