Body Camera Footage Shows Baltimore Police Officers Shoot Suspect Benjamin Tyson After He Waved A Gun At Them
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore Police released body-worn camera footage Thursday from a fatal officer-involved shooting last month inside a parking garage near the Inner Harbor.
Police showed video from four separate officers' body cameras during a press conference. They said three officers fired at least 16 rounds at the suspect who fled from officers following another non-fatal shooting.
In the video, 35-year-old Benjamin Tyson was seen pulling out a gun and pointing it in the direction of the officers.
Police initially believe the gun misfired, but after reviewing evidence they said the gun was jammed. But officers at the scene at the time didn't know that the gun couldn't fire and they fired their weapons and striking the suspect.
According to the initial press release, officers assigned to the Inner Harbor unit were flagged down by a person following non-fatal shooting just outside a CVS Pharmacy near E. Pratt Street and Market Place around 9:22 p.m. on Feb. 25.
While one officer rendered aid to the victim, another officer pursued the suspect. More officers arriving on scene also pursued the suspect on foot and in cars.
Officers followed the suspect to a ramp in a parking garage in the 600 block of East Lombard Street.
The officers ordered the suspect to put his hands up, but instead the suspect pulled a gun. The officers fired their weapons and struck the suspect.
All of this could be heard on the body-worn camera footage released Thursday.
Tyson was taken to an area hospital, but he was pronounced dead.
The non-fatal shooting victim, a 23-year-old man, was taken to an area hospital and survived.
Police officers Brown, Cucchiaro and Ayala-Lopez, who were involved in the fatal shooting, were put on administrative duties while the internal investigation is underway. Brown has been a member of BPD since March 1991, while Cucchiaro and Ayala-Lopez both joined the police force in 2017.
Police said the victim was leaving the nearby CVS when he was confronted by the suspect. The men began to fight before the shooting. Officials said the victim is not from Baltimore and they don't believe the men knew each other prior to the incident.
