Police In West Baltimore Shoot Man After Hitting Officer With His Car
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Pinned against a car and forced to open fire. New information on why a Baltimore City police officer shot a suspect in the face during a traffic stop.
Amy Yensi on exactly how the chaotic situation unfolded.
Officials say the man had a gun, refused to pull over and tried driving away from police.
It all started as a traffic stop in West Baltimore and ended with police shooting a man in the face.
"When we heard the shots, immediately we go back in the house," said Annette Blagmond.
Officers responding to calls of gunshots in the 200 block of Augusta Avenue Monday night tried to stop what they call a suspicious vehicle.
But instead of the pulling over: "Drove it in reverse at a high rate of speed and hit an open door of a police car, and that door slammed against our uniformed patrol officer. It was at that moment that our police officer discharged his firearm," said Interim Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis.
The man, shot in the face, drove around the corner and surrendered to officers, telling them he had a gun.
"He was lying there in blood. I thought he was dead for a second," one man said.
The second man in the car fled as a crowd of spectators gathered at the scene. Police arrested two people, charging them with disorderly conduct.
There's more crime scene tape in yet another Baltimore neighborhood. Some residents say all these shootings have them afraid to leave their homes.
"You don't know when a stray bullet, whether it's coming from the police or whether it's coming from the children in the community," said Blagmond.
The man shot by police is recovering at an area hospital and will face charges.
The officer in the incident was not hurt. He's on desk duty during the investigation.
During Tuesday's news conference, police also announced the arrest of two other suspects in two other recent murders, including one man stabbed to death over a $3 debt.
