An early-morning welfare check at a quiet Woodlawn intersection has turned into a critical use-of-force investigation, after a man was badly hurt during an encounter with a Baltimore County police officer around 3:30 a.m. Monday.
The incident unfolded at Security Boulevard and Whitehead Court, where a man from Woodlawn was found in a vehicle at the traffic light. He is now in critical condition, and the Maryland Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division (IID) has opened a probe into what happened, according to the Maryland Office of the Attorney General.
The office’s release says an officer responded after a caller reported a man had been sitting at the traffic light for an extended period of time. The man then got out of his vehicle and approached the officer, at which point, according to the release, a physical encounter occurred during which the officer used force. The man fell and was injured. The officer, who was not hurt and was equipped with a body-worn camera, provided medical aid until EMS arrived and took the man to a nearby hospital, the attorney general’s office said.
WMAR-2 News reports that the IID’s account of the timing and location of the encounter tracks with what their newsroom has learned so far. The station also highlights that investigators are already looking for any cellphone or private surveillance video that might show what led up to the moment the officer used force.
What the IID says about names and bodycam
In its release, the IID notes that it generally aims to release the names of those involved in such incidents within two business days and body-worn camera footage within 20 business days, timelines that can be extended if needed. For now, officials are holding back the names in this case while the man remains in critical condition, according to the Maryland Office of the Attorney General.
How to help investigators
Investigators are asking anyone who was near Security Boulevard and Whitehead Court around the time of the incident to check phones and private cameras and send any potentially relevant footage to the IID tip line at (410) 576-7070 or [email protected]. WMAR-2 News notes that no names or charges have been made public as the investigation continues, and officials say they will release more information as the IID’s review moves forward.
