Two officers of the Baltimore police department were shot and injured while they attempted to serve the shooter an arrest warrant on Wednesday, February 12.
Around noon, when the officers, one from Baltimore city and one from Baltimore County, confronted the suspect, he opened fire at them, said Baltimore police. The suspect who was shot and killed at the scene has been identified as a former state correction officer who was under investigation, said Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan.
Attempted murder in Pennsylvania
The suspect had left his job and "had a warrant outstanding for attempted murder in Pennsylvania last night and who came back to Baltimore and then was involved in the shooting today," Hogan was quoted a saying at a news conference by Associated Press.
While the police did not comment on Hogan's description of the suspect, the Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said the officers were serving a felony arrest warrant on a "violent offender" wanted in Baltimore.
One of the officers suffered from multiple gunshots and was listed in serious but stable condition. The second officer, who was shot in the leg, is "doing great," alert and in good spirits, the governor said. Both the officers who were part of a joint federal-state-local task force are expected to recover.
"We ask Marylanders to join us in praying for the full and speedy recovery of the brave officers who were injured," Hogan said in a statement. On the issue of rising violence against police officers, Hogan said, "We are providing unprecedented resources to combat this violent crime crisis from all directions, with everything we've got."
"The time has come for Baltimore City to finally take back its streets and communities, once and for all."
Police officers injured in the line of duty
Wednesday's shooting was the second such case in Maryland after two Anne Arundel County police officers were injured in the line of duty last week. Joseph Robert Mitchell Willis, 22, was arrested from his home a day after shooting and hurting the detectives on February 5, said Anne Arundel County Police Sgt Jacklyn Davis.
The officers were identified as Detective Scott Ballard, a 22-year-old veteran assigned to the fugitive apprehension team, and Detective Ian Preece, a 13-year-old veteran, assigned to the homeland security investigations team, said Police Chief Timothy Altomare reported ABC news.
He was charged with attempted first-degree murder of one of the detectives injured. While Willis was already charged for the murder of 44-year-old Christopher Lawrence Jones in Glen Burnie, Maryland, more charges against him are expected, said police.
