No Charges Filed Against Officers Who Fatally Shot Armed Man, Son
BALTIMORE (WJZ)—Two Baltimore police officers won't face charges after they fatally shoot an armed father and son back in March.
Investigators say officers were on patrol when they saw 43-year-old Matthew Wood and his son 18-year-old Kimani Johnson get out of car armed with a semi-automatic rifle and a handgun.
"The cops get out of their car and engage these killers, these would-be killers," said Police Commissioner Kevin Davis, back in April
Two officers fired 56 rounds at the two men, killing them both.
The father and son never fired a shot.
RELATED: Police ID Suspects In Shooting As 'Father, Son Duo With Intent To Kill'
Now the officers involved have been cleared of all charges.
The Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office tells WJZ they interviewed two independent witnesses that told the same story as the two officers.
"Our decision to decline prosecution in this case was based on a thorough investigation where the statements of at least two independent witnesses at the scene of the shooting were consistent with the police officers' account of the event that both men were armed—one with a loaded assault rifle and the other with a loaded handgun.," said Rochelle Ritchie, spokesperson for the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office. "We take all cases seriously and are always open to looking into additional evidence provided to us; however, based on the evidence assessed at the time of this declination, we have concluded that there is no legal basis to charge these officers, who appear to have prevented even further violence on the streets of Baltimore."
"They had guns, but did they use them? No, not once," said Mary Scott who had two children with Matthew Wood.
She says she still has many unanswered questions, including why police fired so many times.
"Why was it an overkill? What threat was being made by two dead people in the street?" Scott said.
The couple's daughter Jazmine is also upset.
"Who started shooting first and how did it come up to 56 shots?" she said.
Scott says, "My children deserve answers. All of his children deserve answers."
Scott says she is consulting an attorney to look into options.
According to court records, both Wood and Johnson had lengthy criminal records, including handgun charges.
