The Maryland Attorney General's Office has disclosed details surrounding a fatal police shooting in Arbutus, where 51-year-old Arvel Jones Sr. was shot and killed by a police officer after allegedly wielding a bow and arrow. The incident occurred early Wednesday morning, according to the AG's Independent Investigations Division (IID). The officer involved was identified as Detective Todd Wiedel, a 28-year veteran of the Baltimore County Police Department's Operations Bureau, as stated in a report from the Maryland Attorney General's Office, reported by FOX Baltimore.
Surveillance footage shows a man masked and carrying a bow and arrows before his fatal encounter with law enforcement. Witnesses reported the man's peculiar behavior, with one, Jim Mechlinski, recounting to WBALTV that seeing someone with a bow was concerning. The situation prompted local schools to go on lockdown as a precaution, and the IID has since urged anyone with additional information to come forward.
The Attorney General's IID investigates all police-involved shootings as protocol in Maryland. However, complicating public oversight in this case, body camera footage is not available for the moment authorities engaged with Jones, according to their statement, as Detective Wiedel did not possess a camera and the accompanying officer activated theirs only after the shooting. Arvel Jones Jr. spoke about his father's character and mental health issues in an exclusive interview, emphasizing that while his father struggled at times, he was not a danger to those around him.
The IID is still investigating the incident on Leeds Avenue, hoping to bring more clarity to a shaken community. They typically release any footage within 20 business days, depending on the availability of the footage.
