The Baltimore Police Department has made public the body camera footage stemming from a fatal shooting incident involving officers and a 54-year-old man on October 9. The video, showcased to media today, captures the moments leading up to the shooting of Robert Need Jr.—or Robert Nedd Jr., as named in other reports—after a vehicle collision on Argyle Ave.
According to FOX Baltimore, Sergeant Thomas Gross witnessed a car hit a parked vehicle and then approached Need, who was behind the wheel. After initial contact and instructing Need to sit on a curb, the individual fled on foot, prompting Gross and other officers to pursue him. Need's attempt to escape resulted in officers finding him in a ditch, where they reported seeing him holding a gun.
In a scene that unfolded in the body camera footage, which has been released to the public, Need is seen cornered by officers in a ditch. As reported by WBALTV, police had ordered Need to show his hands and exit the ditch before firing their weapons when they observed what appeared to be a firearm. Nineteen shots were fired, but it remains unclear how many times Need was hit.
The body camera footage shared by the police came from an officer, Ofc. Strickland, who did not discharge his weapon during the incident. Three other officers involved in the shooting were Sergeant Gross, Officer Tyler Douglas, and Officer James Klein, III, with varying years of service within the department. Subsequent investigations confirmed that Need did not fire his weapon, which was loaded with 15 rounds, though police noted Need was prohibited from possessing a firearm.
No officers were injured during the altercation. Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley briefly commented on the protocol followed during the occurrence. "Officers approached the car when the man's vehicle collided with another car," Worley said, per WBALTV report, detailing the initial interaction before the pursuit and fatal shooting. Authorities continue to probe into the incident, with further insights pending as the investigation progresses.
