Yesterday morning, Baltimore police reportedly shot an individual wielding a knife during what they described as a response to a mental health crisis inside the Bolton Hill neighborhood's ReNew apartments. According to CBS News Baltimore, the incident transpired after officers discovered the individual in the 1100 block of Park Avenue, trying to harm people with a knife. The police were forced to fire their weapon after attempts to peacefully resolve the situation failed to safely disarm the person.
Baltimore City Police Commissioner Richard Worley was quoted as stating that, despite the person's aggressive behavior and failure to comply with officers' commands, the department's training in de-escalation was evident. "Our officers showed the great training that we have to de-escalate a situation. Even after the individual came at them with a knife, they still tried to de-escalate," Worley said. The individual was shot twice in the leg after non-lethal options, such as tasers, were ineffective in neutralizing the threat, as stated by officials, detailed by CBS New Baltimore.
The WMAR-2 News reported that the events unfolded after officers responded to reports of an armed individual inside the apartment complex, who was attempting to harm others with a large knife. Officers were said to have found a bloodied hallway and fire alarms sounding upon arrival at the scene. Once backup arrived, they continued to try to coax the individual out of an apartment, and eventually confronted them when they emerged still armed.
Commissioner Worley explained the lengths to which police went to avoid resorting to the use of their firearms. "We retreated, gave time. You could hear the officers say they have plenty of time and they continued to negotiate," he recounted, illustrating the patience practiced during the crisis. Following the shooting, the suspect dropped the knife and was taken into custody. Kristy, a resident of the building, told WMAR-2 News, "It's unfortunate that they weren't able to contain the situation without resorting to violence," reflecting some community concern despite the non-lethal outcome.
The individual received immediate medical attention at the scene and was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, as confirmed by both news sources. Even though the person remained combative en route to the hospital, no other injuries were reported during the incident.
