A Baltimore judge on Thursday tossed out the key physical evidence from a December officer-involved shooting in West Baltimore, ruling that police used excessive force and leaving prosecutors to decide whether the case is worth trying to salvage.
What Happened Dec. 16, 2025
According to the Baltimore Police Department, detectives monitoring CCTV on December 16, 2025, spotted suspected narcotics activity near North Charles Street and East 21st Street and followed a vehicle that fled the area.
The vehicle ended up in the 500 block of West Lanvale Street, where officers said it reversed toward an officer, hit a fence, then accelerated again. Three officers, identified by the department as Officer Anthony Bennett, Officer Austin Gutridge and Officer Jacob Redding, discharged their firearms.
Police said the vehicle’s occupants were 61-year-old Andrew Brown and 37-year-old Devin Thomas. Thomas was shot, taken to a hospital, and later released, according to the department. A subsequent search of the car turned up two firearms and suspected narcotics, police said.
Judge Throws Out Evidence
Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge LaZette Ringgold-Kirksey granted a defense motion on Thursday, finding that officers used excessive force and suppressed the recovered weapons and drugs, according to WBFF. Prosecutors had argued that officers opened fire after the vehicle moved in their direction, but the court concluded the defense had shown the force was unlawful.
State's Attorney Ivan Bates pushed back, saying the court had heard officer testimony that they fired because the vehicle refused to stop and drove toward them. "With no evidence, our office was forced to dismiss the charges," Bates said, adding that his office will decide in the coming days whether to appeal the ruling, according to the statement reported by WBFF.
Legal Outlook
By excluding the weapons and narcotics, the judge removed the physical evidence that prosecutors had relied on to charge the men, which led to the charges being dismissed. Bates' office has said it is reviewing the judge's order to determine whether an appeal is appropriate. If the state moves forward, an appellate court would be asked to review the suppression ruling.
Investigation and Oversight
The Baltimore Police Department said its Special Investigations Response Team has been assigned to investigate the shooting and that the department activated its Public Release of Critical Incident Recordings Policy. Those internal steps, along with the recovered evidence, were central to the suppression fight that unfolded in Judge Ringgold-Kirksey's courtroom.
