Baltimore County Police Officer Shot Outside Station Released from Hospital

By Matt Hubbard

Source Baltimore Sun

The officer shot outside a Baltimore County Police station last week was released from the hospital Sunday.

Outside were a crowd of officers and a line of Baltimore County Police cars and motorcycles as he was released around 1 p.m. from Baltimore’s R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland.

First responders stood at attention, lined shoulder to shoulder, as he exited the hospital in a wheelchair. The vehicle he left in with his family was escorted by five police cars and motorcycles with sirens off.

“This is a blessed day,” said Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klausmeier, who expressed her gratitude for the first responders and the Shock Trauma professionals who treated the wounded officer.

The shooting occurred Thursday around 2:30 p.m., at the time of the officers’ shift change at the Wilkens Precinct in Catonsville. Police said the suspect first entered the precinct and spoke with desk officers, then left and engaged in conversation with a police officer who was at the gas pumping station in the parking lot, “getting ready to go home from work,” Baltimore County Police Chief Robert McCullough said at a news conference.

The suspect then brandished a firearm and fired upon the officer, police said.

Two other police officers in the parking lot returned fire on the suspect and injured him in the lower body, McCullough said. One of those officers was shot in the exchange of gunfire. The suspect was also shot and transported to a hospital, where he was initially listed in critical condition, police said. He remains hospitalized in police custody, police said Sunday.

The officer who was shot was transported within four minutes of the shooting, McCullough said. The officer had been wearing a protective vest. He underwent surgery Thursday evening and was still in “guarded” condition Friday, police said.

McCullough said at a Thursday news conference that it was “very clear” that the shooting was “premeditated.”

He said security should be enhanced at police facilities to prevent future incidents. “Ironically,” the chief said, the planned new Wilkens Precinct building will have greater security measures.

Baltimore Sun reporters Todd Karpovich and Racquel Bazos contributed to this article.

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