Multiple Baltimore police officers opened fire on an allegedly armed resident. The incident happened on Tuesday, Nov. 7, in Southwest Baltimore.
The Baltimore Police Department said that cops were chasing the man before the shooting happened. However, officers decided to shoot him after he reportedly pointed a gun at them.
Multiple Baltimore Police Officers Open Fire, Killing Resident
A seal of the Baltimore Police Department is seen at Police Headquarters in Baltimore on August 8, 2017. Baltimore, a city of 2.8 million, is troubled by drug use, poverty and racial segregation problems. In 2016 violent crime in Baltimore was up 22 percent and murders up 78 percent.
According to CBS News' latest report, the man killed by Baltimore police officers was identified as Hunter Jessup. Law enforcement authorities said that he was standing on Brunswick Street at around 12:30 p.m.
But, he was suddenly asked to stop by BPD cops. This led to a foot chase, forcing the man to take off on Wilkens Avenue. Cops who were chasing him tried tackling the man, who later fell into a set of stairs.
Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said that after the allegedly armed man fell, he pointed a gun at the officers, leaving them no choice but to shoot him.
"We have not confirmed if the individual had fired shots. We do know he pointed the weapon. We can't tell from the body-worn camera whether shots were fires," explained Worley.
Jessup was taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma to be treated. However, the injuries he got from the shooting incident were too severe, leading to his death.
Worley said that they thought one of their police was shot. But, it was confirmed that wasn't the case since the cop was released with minor injuries.
"At one point, we believed we had an officer shot but was not. He has been released from the hospital and is now talking with detectives," said the BPD official.
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BPD Criticized by Baltimore Residents
A person walks past a police car on July 28, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland. President Donald Trump has recently drawn criticism by calling the city of Baltimore "disgusting." While the struggling city has a number of affluent areas, it has a stubborn crime problem and has one of the highest murder rates in the nation for a city of any size.
Residents are now questioning the Baltimore Police Department for what happened, as reported by The Baltimore Sun. Some of them asked if the foot chase was even necessary and if it was really needed to shoot the poor man.
28-year-old Mike Davis, a Baltimore resident, asked why BPD wasn't able to arrest the victim despite having many of its officers chasing the man.
He added that they should stop engaging in foot chases just to apprehend people who carry guns. Davis argued that if residents carry guns and are suddenly getting chased by the police, there's no doubt they would run.
Davis, who is also one of the witnesses, said that he heard 10 to 15 gunshots during the incident. Families were also saddened by the incident and disappointed with BPD's action.
They said that Jessup was a "goofy" man who loved listening to music every day. But, their beloved brother was taken away from them by BPD that day.
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