Maryland's top prosecutor will not bring criminal charges against two Baltimore detectives who shot and killed 37-year-old Dwight Hawkins during a Feb. 24 police encounter in the Belair-Edison neighborhood. After a month-long review, the state's Independent Investigations Division concluded the officers did not commit a crime under Maryland law. The decision closes the state's criminal case file, even as Hawkins' family and neighbors continue to press for answers and accountability.
What the AG's review found
The Independent Investigations Division identified the man who was killed as 37-year-old Dwight Hawkins and named the officers involved as Officer Arthur Fuog and Officer Omar Rodriguez, both assigned to the Group Violence Unit. According to the Attorney General's public case log, the matter is listed as declined for prosecution, which reflects the IID's legal determination under state law.
Those identification details are laid out in a press release from the Maryland Office of the Attorney General. The case status also appears on the public incidents log maintained by the Maryland Office of the Attorney General.
How investigators say the encounter unfolded
According to investigators, detectives entered a store in the 3600 block of Belair Road, spotted Hawkins inside, and followed him after he walked out. Hawkins then ran, investigators say, and during the chase, he pulled a handgun. Two detectives fired and struck him. Officers recovered a handgun at the scene and provided medical aid before Hawkins was transported to a hospital, where he later died. That sequence and the official timeline were reported by CBS Baltimore.
Family reaction and local protests
Hawkins' relatives say the state's version of events does not square with the man they knew. They describe him as someone who had been working steadily and trying to change his life, and they reject the notion that officers were justified in using lethal force. "They did not have to gun him down the way they did," one family member said. Neighbors held small protests near the block where he was shot, keeping the case in the public eye even as the legal process moved mostly behind closed doors. The family's comments, video shared by relatives, and street-level reaction were documented by The Baltimore Banner.
Next steps and the wider debate
The IID's decision not to prosecute ends Maryland's criminal review but does not prevent Hawkins' family from pursuing civil litigation, nor does it resolve potential internal disciplinary questions for the officers involved. The case has also energized local calls for more transparency around officers who appear in multiple fatal incidents.
Reporters and watchdogs have noted that Officer Omar Rodriguez was involved in a separate fatal shooting last year and have raised fresh questions about how and when Baltimore officers are returned to street duty after such incidents. Local coverage and analysis from Baltimore Beat and other outlets say the Hawkins case has become another flashpoint in a long-running fight over police accountability and public access to investigative files.
