Baltimore police release body camera video of shooting near Lexington Market
The Baltimore Police Department (BPD) released body-worn camera video Friday showing a shooting that took place on Aug. 22 near Lexington Market.
Police Commissioner Richard Worley and Deputy Commissioner Brian Nadeau spoke about the video and the circumstances surrounding the shooting during a press conference at BPD headquarters.
The shooting happened around 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 22 in the 300 block of N. Eutaw Street. The officer involved was identified as Samuel Thomas, a 20-year veteran of the BPD.
Officer's body-worn camera video
Thomas had called a tow truck for a vehicle with suspended and expired tags that belonged to 29-year-old Tyrik Braxton of Columbia, Maryland.
Thomas is seen talking with Braxton and a woman, telling Braxton he can get his belongings out of the vehicle. That's when Braxton gets in the car and starts to drive, as Thomas stands in front of the vehicle.
"Several commands were given to stop, and the officer falls onto the front of the vehicle and begins to hold on," Nadeau said Friday. "Braxton reverses the vehicle, and then proceeds forward again. Officer Thomas fires three rounds into the vehicle, striking Braxton, who also strikes the backup officer's patrol vehicle."
Worley said this could have been a routine stop, if Braxton didn't try to take off.
"He, they, escalated something that could have simply been a routine traffic stop," said Worley. "His vehicle would have gotten towed. He was not getting arrested. He wasn't even getting a ticket, because at first, he didn't even say it was his car."
The vehicle Braxton was driving eventually came to a stop, and Thomas immediately pulled him from the vehicle and began to render aid until paramedics arrived, Nadeau said.
Additional camera angles
Another officer drove over to assist Thomas. On his camera, you can see a crowd of people start to form. Thomas pushed people back from Braxton, as additional officers attempted to render aid.
"I will pepper spray you guys," Thomas could be heard saying. "Get back on the sidewalk right now."
A Foxtrot camera also caught bottles being thrown at the officers.
"A large crowd gathers, and officers do an excellent job keeping them back while providing medical aid to Mr. Braxton," said Nadeau.
Suspect still hospitalized
BPD officials said Braxton remains in critical condition. Thomas suffered minor injuries to his neck and back and has since recovered. The officer was placed on routine administrative leave.
Worley said Braxton was previously arrested twice in the area. One arrest was in November 2025 for attempting to flee officers during a traffic stop, while the other was for a DUI in December 2024, in which he struck a police vehicle.
"These are just two incidents that occurred in our jurisdiction, which speaks to his complete disregard for law enforcement and upholding the law," Worley said.
Investigators with the Special Investigations Response Team, or SIRT, are continuing to investigate the incident.
