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Police: Armed Suspect Took $26 During Robbery Before Being Shot By Officer

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A man was shot and killed by a Baltimore Police Department officer just seconds after police say he robbed a 7-Eleven Monday morning.

Police say the robbery happened at about 2:50 a.m., as a police officer happened to be pulling into the parking lot of the 7-Eleven on Harford Rd. and Glenmore Ave.

The suspect ran out of the door with a sawed-off shotgun raised in the air. A police spokesman says the officer got out of the car and shot the suspect, who was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

Police held a press conference Monday afternoon to release surveillance video and the officer's body cam footage of the shooting.

The officer is a 17-year veteran and is on routine administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. It was later found that the suspect's shotgun was not loaded, and the suspect had taken $26 during the robbery, according to police.

Police say the officer had no choice but to fire. Commissioner Kevin Davis commended the officer for doing exactly what he's trained to do.

"He interrupted an armed robbery in progress, and he did a great, great job," says Davis. He says there was no opportunity for de-escalation.

"Actually the de-escalation should have been considered by our bad guy. He should have dropped his gun before he came running out of the 7-Eleven," says Davis.

Police say the victim has been identified as a 20-year-old man, but his next of kin have not yet been notified, so his name has not been released.

Police also believe this suspect had worked with several others to rob 20-30 stores in the area recently.

Authorities say no one was hurt by the gunman. This incident was the fourth police-involved shooting this year, which have all had released police body cam video.

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