Baltimore Police say arabber fired 3 shots, officers fired 38 rounds in deadly shooting captured on video
Baltimore Police on Monday released body-worn camera video from three officers who shot and killed local arabber, Bilal "BJ" Abdullah Jr.
Abdullah, 36, was a well-known arabber who sold produce on a horse-drawn cart in the city, according to community members.
The June 17 shooting is under investigation by the Maryland Attorney General's Office.
Body cam video shows fatal shooting of Baltimore arabber
The video starts with Abdullah walking away from a police officer who approached him after getting out of an unmarked squad car just after 7 p.m. near the Upton Metro station.
In the video, Abdullah quickly starts running, and police said he pulled a weapon from a cross-body bag.
The weapon discharged while responding officers still had their guns in holsters, according to Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley.
BPD highlighted an image of Abdullah with the weapon after he fell to the ground.
From another view, an officer runs to Abdullah. At this point, both officers have their weapons out.
WJZ is not showing the moment when Abdullah was fatally shot.
Police told WJZ Investigates that officers fired 38 rounds during the encounter. Abdullah fired three rounds.
Whether officers identified themselves is still under investigation, police said. The officers have not yet been interviewed by police.
"This is truly a tragic incident," said Worley. "Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the family of Mr. Abdullah, our officers and our community."
The video released by police Monday also included CitiWatch camera images that can be seen HERE.
Encounter between Abdullah and Baltimore Police
BPD revealed that there is more video from a private business that showed Abdullah armed, which is why police responded to the area in the first place.
Officers said they are legally prevented from publicly releasing that video while the attorney general works on its investigation.
"The information came directly to a police officer – somebody who had observed the displaying of the firearm and the aggression of the person, who then notified a police officer about that," Deputy Commissioner Brian Nadeau told reporters. "That police officer reached out to the detectives because they were in the area to let them know about it."
"I recognize that emotions are high at the loss of a cherished member of the community, and the loss is deeply felt," Worley said. "Use of force is never a first resort for the officers."
Police also shared that Abdullah could not legally carry a weapon. They are still working to trace the firearm that was found in his possession.
Family demands justice
Abdullah's sister, Najla Abdullah, has called for police to be held accountable. She spoke at a demonstration last week.
Police said they showed the family the videos before they were released to the public.
"My brother did not deserve this. He did not deserve this," Najla Abdullah said. "...We look to them to support and protect us, and they took my brother away from me, my siblings. My mother is hurting. We want justice. Those officers knew what they wanted to do. They knew, and we want justice."
Upset crowd delays police aid
The video shared by police also shows an upset crowd approaching the officers after the shooting.
Police said the crowd delayed them from giving aid to Abdullah after the initial shooting. They were eventually able to provide aid within three to four minutes.
"What they did is exactly what we teach them to do," Worley said. "They stepped back, created space and called for additional units."
Officer released from hospital
One officer was shot in the foot during the encounter with Abdullah. Commissioner Worley said the officer has since been released from the hospital.
Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown's Office identified the involved officer as Detective Devin Yancy, an eight-year veteran of the department; Detective Omar Rodriguez, a six-year veteran of the department, both assigned to the Group Violence Unit; and Officer Ashley Negron, a seven-year veteran assigned to the Patrol Division.
"Officers were responding to Pennsylvania Avenue and Laurens Street for an armed person. This armed person, just before the shooting, displayed a handgun in a threatening manner and threatened to shoot it out with the police," said Police Union President Mike Mancuso. "When the police arrived, that's exactly what he did. When an armed suspect engages with police and shoots at them, the police will not run. They will confront it head-on and neutralize the threat. After being approached by police, the suspect chose to escalate the situation by pulling out a gun and firing on police, not only putting the officers at risk, but also the public. A violent crowd then formed, assaulting officers and preventing officers from providing care to the suspect."
