Shooting Spree Suspect's Brother: 'He 100 Percent Was Not In His Right Mind'

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- In his first television interview about his brother, Earl Carter, Jr. told WJZ that MauSean Carter was "not in his right mind" when he led police on a chase and allegedly went on a shooting spree through West Baltimore Friday.

"Mental health issues played a major role in the events that took place," Earl Carter told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren.

He revealed his brother first started exhibiting troubling signs about a decade ago.

"He believed the president of Venezuela bought him a car and he was supposed to go to a dealership to pick it up. He was met with the people at the dealership chasing him out because they thought this guy was crazy," he said, recounting an incident on Reisterstown Road.

"He thought at one point that he had a relationship with President George Bush -- that was a friend of his. From my brother's perspective, I was dating Jada Pinkett Smith...Jay-Z was his father...to him it was real. There was nothing we could do to convince him that wasn't real," Earl Carter said.

Police say MauSean Carter was wanted in a triple shooting and was spotted by police on Fulton Avenue. The man then took off and reportedly went on a shooting rampage.

The man fired shots as he drove through the city, shooting a man in the leg on North Avenue and shooting a person in the upper body who was in a vehicle. Officials say the passenger went into cardiac arrest and is in critical condition.

One officer was injured during the pursuit and is receiving treatment at a local hospital.

The suspect was arrested in the 1800 block of Gwynns Falls Parkway.

"I just don't want people to misconstrue this interview as me not wanting my brother -- if he's guilty of these things -- to not be held accountable for his behavior," Earl Carter said.

He offered his condolences to the victims of the shooting spree.

An assistant public defender referred to MauSean's past diagnosis of schizophrenia in court. Carter's brother said it was difficult to get any information due to patient privacy laws once they took him for treatment. "The standard for getting persons over the age of 18 cannot be that the person has to commit a crime first and then we help them," the brother said.

MauSean Carter has been charged in two murders. Police say he's responsible for five shootings this month and they found an assault-style rifle and a handgun in his Lexus. Judge Catherine O'Malley ordered him held without bail, calling him an "extreme risk" to public safety.

Earl Carter told WJZ it was difficult to watch the police chase. Chopper 13 was the only television helicopter overhead when MauSean's girlfriend convinced him to slow down near Mondawmin Mall, then ran to the vehicle and grabbed him just before the arrest.

"Her selfless act -- the way she responded -- it saved my brother's life."

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