Officer Opens Fire After Robbery Suspect Charges Toward Police With Knife, Police Say
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Police are investigating after an officer was involved in a discharging in West Baltimore Tuesday afternoon.
Officers responded to the 200 block of McMechen Street just after 1 p.m. after reports of an armed person following a robbery at a store. On the scene, officers encountered the suspect brandishing a knife who then fled on foot.
Officers caught up with the suspect and ordered him to drop the weapon. The suspect did not follow verbal demands. Officers then deployed their tasers which were ineffective.
The suspect then fled on foot into the subway station in the 600 block of Laurens Ave. Officers continued to order the suspect to drop his weapon.
The suspect did not comply and ran towards the officers with the knife. Officials said at that time, one officer discharged his weapon.
The suspect was not struck. He was taken into custody and to an area hospital for an evaluation.
The officers were not injured.
The Special Investigation Response Team (S.I.R.T.) continues to investigate this incident and the department has activated its Public Release of Critical Incident Recordings Policy.
