Police I.D. Suspect Killed During Shootout In N.W. Baltimore
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Terror on the streets of Baltimore. A city police officer remains hospitalized after a wild shootout in Northwest Baltimore leaves one man dead.
Rick Ritter with an update on the injured officer and the suspect.
The suspect had several gun-related charges in the past and just got out of jail last year. We're told the officers involved in the shooting were part of a special enforcement unit when they spotted Martin with a gun.
Neighbors describe it as a wild west shootout--one that left 32-year-old Ryan Quinn Martin dead.
"It's just sad, man. It's sad," said Loretta Dirton.
Just before 8 p.m. Wednesday night, emergency calls obtained by WJZ shed light on what quickly turned violent in Northwest Baltimore.
Police spotted Martin with a gun--a man with a criminal history of firearms--when the two exchanged gunfire.
"You know, you in the house, you sitting there chilling, you hear, 'Pow, pow, pow.' You hear, 'Pow, pow, pow,'" said Dirton.
Police say Martin shot Officer Thomas Young three times. We're told Young will make a full recovery.
Earlier this week, a father of three who complained about illegal activity was gunned down not far away--an area that's seen nine murders alone this year, where Loretta Dirton lives.
"They got guns. They shooting at each other. They killing each other," said Dirton.
Police are in the midst of a new detailed, targeted push against criminals who carry illegal guns--one reason why officers who were in plain clothes and on foot went after Martin.
"A person who's going to fire upon anyone, whether they're notated as the baddest of the bad or not, they're bad guys--period," said T.J. Smith, Baltimore City Police Department.
Something authorities hope tackles the surge of violence, in a city that's approaching 300 homicides for the year.
We're told two officers fired shots at Martin. No word on how many shots total were fired during the exchange.
Baltimore has not hit 300 homicides in more than 15 years.
