Baltimore police officer who shot armed man near Erdman Shopping Center identified
A seven-year veteran of the Baltimore Police Department has been identified as the officer who shot and critically injured a man near Erdman Shopping Center on Oct. 22.
The Maryland Office of the Attorney General identified the officer as Phil Polanco. Authorities said the man allegedly pointed a gun at the officer before the shooting.
The shooting happened around 12:15 p.m. at the intersection of Erdman Avenue and Ravenwood Avenue, near a library and a daycare center.
According to police, the officer was stopped at a stop sign when he encountered a man walking into the shopping center's parking lot.
Police said the man ran from the officer, who followed him in his patrol car before getting out of the vehicle.
During the encounter, the man allegedly pointed a gun at the officer, who fired his weapon, striking the man. He was taken to a hospital in critical condition.
The man's identity has not been released, according to the attorney general's office.
The Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General is investigating the shooting. The officer was equipped with a body-worn camera.
Anyone with information about the incident, including cellphone footage or private surveillance video, is asked to contact the IID at (410) 576-7070 or by email at IID@oag.maryland.gov.
