Officers faced gunfire before shooting man in crisis, Baltimore Police commissioner says

Baltimore City Police say the officers who shot and killed an armed man in southwest Baltimore last week followed their training.

Officer Sharod Watson was on a routine patrol near the intersection of Wilkens Ave. and S. Caton Ave. when his patrol car was struck by a gunshot.

"A gentleman on the corner was just shooting at me, looks like he got a book bag on," Watson radioed to dispatch. "Keeping my distance. Looks like he had a small revolver."

Another patrol officer, Kevin Rankine, was also driving in the area and reported his vehicle was hit by something, too.

Watson stopped and got out of his car, gave the man verbal commands to drop his gun.

Seconds later, Watson and Rankine begin firing at Louis Jackson, 46, who had chased the officers down Wilkens Avenue to the foot of Ascension St. Agnes Hospital. Jackson fired a revolver while having a mental health crisis, according to investigators.

"There was no other way for our officers to basically stop this individual because he was trying to kill both of our officers," Commissioner Richard Worley said Friday.

Officers placed on administrative duty

Jackson was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. Both officers, who work in the Southern District, are now on administrative duty per department protocol.

The shooting involving police is now under investigation by the Maryland Attorney General's Independent Investigations Division (IID), which is required by state law. The Baltimore Police Department is also conducting an internal investigation.

Body-worn camera video shows Jackson running down Wilkens Ave. with his gun drawn. Watson, a 13-year Baltimore Police veteran, took cover behind his patrol car while yelling at Jackson to "get on the ground".

Jackson refused the commands and continued firing. Police say he fired four shots.

Untraceable firearm recovered

A weapon was recovered on the scene. Police say the gun doesn't have a visible serial number and cannot be traced. That is under federal investigation. The department says Jackson was prohibited from owning a firearm because of prior convictions.

Both officers fired, fatally striking Jackson. In total, police fired eight rounds.

Another man, not involved in the shooting, was seen on video ducking behind his vehicle for cover. He was not struck.

At the same time, Southwest District officers responded to the 800 block of S. Caton Avenue after multiple reports of a man with a gun and an attempted suicide, investigators told WJZ Friday. This investigation was around the corner from where the shootout happened.

Baltimore Police Commissioner defends officers' actions after suicidal man is shot dead during crisis.

When officers arrived at the apartment building, the man in crisis was gone. Police say Jackson crossed police district lines, where he began firing at Watson and Rankine.

Worley called the shooting tragic, but said his officers did an "exceptional job".

"I'm sorry that we unfortunately had to take deadly force," Worley said.

He noted how the officers remained calm and tried to de-escalate before opening fire.

"Our officers did everything they could to not shoot that individual, but when somebody is running at you, shooting a gun, you have to respond." 

BPD crisis training protocol

The IID has investigated 86 fatal police shootings since 2021, and almost 25% of those shootings involve someone in a mental health crisis.

Worley says a response by the mobile crisis team or a clinician would've proved more dangerous.

"I know people want to talk about 'Why don't you have a clinician come out there?'" Worley said. "Well, if you're a clinician, do you want to try and stop this individual running at somebody with a gun? I don't think so."

All Baltimore Police officers receive some crisis training in the academy and on the job. About 30% have participated in voluntary Crisis Intervention Training.

Behavioral Health Systems Baltimore works with BPD on its crisis training protocols. It is trying to work with the department to provide lifesaving resources to neighbors before a shooting like this.

"We want to assure you that we are looking at these incidents. We are talking with our partners across the city, with BPD, to really kind of say how can we reach individuals before this tragic incident?" Shanice Marks told WJZ.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 for free, confidential emotional support. The helpline is open 24/7.