Police release footage of Baltimore officer shooting armed man near Erdman Shopping Center
Baltimore police have released body camera footage of an officer shooting an armed man during an incident last month near the city's Erdman Shopping Center in Northeast Baltimore.
The shooting happened Oct. 22 in the 3900 block of Erdman Avenue. The 44-year-old man shot in the incident remains in critical but stable condition at an area hospital, said a statement issued Wednesday by the Baltimore Police Department (BPD). He has not been identified.
The video shows the man fleeing from the officer, then turning around and starting to chase him, before pointing a weapon in the officer's direction. That is when the officer shoots the man, who falls to the ground.
Police released the body camera video as well as surveillance footage captured by a private camera in the area.
Shooting happened near library and daycare center
The encounter started when the officer, who has been identified as Phil Polanco, was sitting in his cruiser when he spotted a man walking into the Erdman Shopping Center parking lot, according to a statement by police. The shopping center is near a library and a daycare center.
Video footage shows the man approaching the cruiser for unknown reasons. During the incident, the man ended up running from the officer. Police have said it is unclear why the man ran.
The officer initially followed the man in his cruiser, before getting out to pursue the man on foot. During the chase, the man pointed a firearm at the officer, prompting the officer to shoot the man.
Police say they recovered weapon at the scene
Officers rendered aid to the man until emergency services arrived and assumed care. He was then taken to the hospital.
Following the incident, police recovered a firearm at the scene.
The officer, who has not yet been named, was uninjured during the incident.
Maryland's Office of the Attorney General is currently investigating the shooting. Anyone with information about this incident, including individuals with relevant cell phone or private surveillance video, is asked to contact investigators at (410) 576–7070, or by email at IID@oag.maryland.gov.