Body Cam Footage Shows Baltimore Officer Running Toward Gunfire
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore City Police released new body camera video showing an officer running toward gunfire to arrest a murder suspect in East Baltimore.
The killing happened April 19 on North Regester Street in the Broadway East neighborhood, and police say they are still looking for other suspects in the case.
The body camera video shows Officer Joseph Rodgers responding to a disagreement between a landlord and tenant when, suddenly, more than 20 shots were fired less than a block away.
The barrage of gunfire can be heard in the video.
Officer Rodgers takes off in the direction of the shots, running toward Lafayette Avenue where he arrests a teenager who is now charged as an adult in the homicide.
"We can go back to 2015 where there was a lot of fair criticism that officers had taken a knee in Baltimore. If anyone thinks that an officer is taking a knee, just look at that video," said Baltimore Police Communications Chief T. J. Smith.
"He did not hesitate and ran toward danger without backup," Smith said.
Police have charged 17-year-old Eric Gilyard with the murder of 30-year-old Walter Baynes.
The motive remains unclear. At the time of the shooting, Baynes was visiting his grandfather, 69-year-old George Evans, a Baptist deacon who had lived in the same house for more than 40 years. It's one block from North Avenue.
Evans was shot eight times and wounded in the neck and legs.
"What we saw in the video was an active shooter situation," Smith said.
Gilyard's lawyer Tony Garcia told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren he will ask a court to move his client's adult charges to juvenile court.
He said his client maintains his innocence and was simply running from gunfire "just like anyone would do."
Police said they found a gun on Gilyard, but Garcia said that is not evidence he was the shooter.
Smith believes the tense video shows the danger officers face on the job every day.
"This officer was able to get that suspect into custody safely without firing a single round himself," he said.
Investigators believe more suspects are at large in the case and are asking the public to call them with tips. Anyone with information can reach Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7-Lockup, and you can remain anonymous.
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