A 36-year-old man was shot in the leg by a Baltimore Police officer after charging at officers with knives and causing one to sustain a minor wound, police officials said Saturday.
Officers were patrolling the 2000 block of West Pratt Street in Southwest Baltimore’s Carrollton Ridge neighborhood around 9 a.m. when they saw a naked man walking in the street, Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said at an afternoon news conference.
The man barricaded himself in a nearby business when officers attempted to talk with him. Worley said the man then proceeded to throw an unidentified liquid at the officers after they made “numerous attempts to get the man to come out.”
After the police retreated and grabbed shields, they made a second attempt to enter the building and they said the man charged at them with two knives.
In response, an officer fired their weapon and shot the man.
“While he was being taken into custody, he was still reaching for a weapon, but officers were able to render aid to him [and] put a tourniquet on his leg, probably saved his life,” Worley said.
The injured officer was treated at Mercy Medical Center, Niki Fennoy, a Baltimore police spokesperson, said in an email.
In response to the shooting, the department has issued its critical incident reporting policy and is investigating the matter. The officer’s body camera footage will be released in the coming days.
Worley said he reviewed the footage, and from what he saw, commended the officers.
“Once you see the body-worn camera, you’ll see how intense and you’ll see how great of a job our officers did yet again, not only in trying to disarm the individual, [but] once he was injured, rendering aid and possibly saving his life,” he said.
“While it’s still an open and active investigation, I want to commend the officers’ work every single day. Another example of great police work.”
Baltimore Sun reporter Annie Jennemann contributed to this article.
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
