City officer shoots man after bar dispute
An off-duty Baltimore police officer who had just emerged from a bar shot and killed a man early today outside the Eden Lounge in Mid-Town Belvedere after the man apparently made advances toward the officer's female companion, according to a department spokesman.
Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III has ordered senior commanders to oversee the investigation. The commanders will want to know whether the officer had been drinking and whether it was prudent for him to carry his weapon while at the establishment.
Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the man had been shot several times during the altercation, which occurred in the first block of East Eager Street about 1:30 a.m. Officers are required to carry their weapons while off-duty in the city but exceptions are made for when they are in situation during which being armed would not be practical. That would include swimming or even drinking; it's up to the individual officer.
"We ask them to use their judgment," Guglielmi said.
Police said in a early morning Twitter message that the officer had shot the man in the back. In a later statement, Guglielmi said the man had been shot several times. The names of the officer and the dead man were not immediately released.
UPDATE: Guglielmi said the original Twitter was incorrect and that the man had been shot at least six times in the chest. He said detectives recovered eight shell casings from the scene. He also said the officer refused to take a breath test to determine how much he had to drink. It is is his legal right to refuse. The officer has been placed on desk duty during the investigation.
In May, an off-duty police officer shot and wounded a man who authorities said was trying to break into his car on East Chase and North Charles streets, about a block away from this latest shooting.
Here is Guglielmi's statement:
Baltimore Police are investigating an officer-involved shooting which took place outside the Eden Lounge nightclub in the unit block of Eager Street in the Central District at approximately 130am.
Preliminary investigation indicates an off-duty officer (15 year veteran - assigned to the Eastern District Patrol Division) was leaving the nightclub when an individual approached and made advances towards the officer's female companion. The incident escalated into a verbal argument which turned physical.
The officer removed his departmental issued service weapon and shot the individual multiple times. The shooting victim was later pronounced at Shock Trauma Hospital at 218am.
At this time investigators are interviewing witnesses and determining if alcohol was a factor in the incident. Police Commissioner Fred Bealefeld has order senior commanders to oversee the investigation through its entirety.
This information is preliminary and subject to change. We will update the media as information becomes available. A briefing will be scheduled for later this morning - stay tuned for details.
Categories: Breaking news, Confronting crime, Police shootings
Comments
The man murdered was an Iraq veteran who had no prior record. I pray that the investigation is fair.
Posted by: heavyheart | June 5, 2010 8:10 AM
Sounds gulity... but I am sure the Baltimore Police will make sure its "self defense". It would be nice if police were held to the same laws as we are. They're constantly blowing by me on 95 at 90mph. They blow through red lights in the city. Its a culture of corruption.
Posted by: Ben | June 5, 2010 8:35 AM
After reading this story I reread the rules on my concealed carry permit.
I could not find the sentence that states I can shoot a man 8 times for flirting with my girlfriend while drunk.
It dose say however I can not carry my weapon in a liquor establishment ie:bar or carry it while intoxicated.
The police officer REFUSED a breathalyzer test and is now on desk duty. I guess when he sobers up.
If that were me or you we would be in jail.
Posted by: Steve Garry | June 5, 2010 8:54 AM
This is why only the police should be able to carry guns in Maryland. If the state issues you a costume, you are a god. You can do no wrong and you automatically are made trustworthy and virtuous. Slave-citizens (non police) can't be trusted with the means of self defense. They must merely pay the police's salary.
Posted by: zach | June 5, 2010 9:18 AM
If the situations were reversed, the article and response would be completely different. I guess some people are just above the law.
Posted by: Brian | June 5, 2010 9:38 AM
Who's policing the police??? If I have gotten upset at someone while drunk in a bar and shot them SIX times I would be at Central Booking right now hoping I would get bail. I bet the cops could have forced me to take a breathilizer test. The cops are taking care of their own here - this guy gets a nice desk job while some man lost his life needlessly. In the end they will come up with some way to discredit the deceased, make the whole thing his fault, this officer will get his gun back, and enjoy a nice pension one day. I think it is outrageous. I only hope there are some independent witnesses who can say what really happened.
Posted by: gmc | June 5, 2010 10:04 AM
I live in the neighborhood. This the 2nd officer shooting in 2 weeks. Why are they carring guns in bars and drinking when they are off duty? They can only deal with an aleration with a gun? I am outraged!!! It is Ironic that I fear for my safety when I am out walking in the neighborhood because of the police. This has got to stop. If I shot some one I would be in jail now and this guy is on desk duty! Is justice dead?
Posted by: CGOLD | June 5, 2010 10:59 AM
Per Guglielmi's statement: "This information is preliminary and subject to change."
Oh I'm POSITIVE of THIS Fact and IT'S going to keep changing UNTIL it fits what the Police Department deems worthy enough to keep THIS Murderer with a BADGE out of Jail (Real...)
Posted by: ELove | June 5, 2010 11:12 AM
The officers was drunk and pounced around the scene looking at he man dying like he was proud of what he did.
Posted by: Nameless | June 5, 2010 11:59 AM
It is not his legal right to refuse a blood test after shooting someone.If he has a right to refuse a Breathalyzer then everyone has the SAME god damn right. Quit giving cops preferential treatment. This is wrong in so many ways that it's sick and hypocritical to demand the common folks to obey laws even the lawmakers break.
Posted by: anon | June 5, 2010 12:59 PM
Yet another murder by a member of the state-sponsored terrorist group known as the police. US citizens must arm themselves against this threat to life and liberty and be prepared to engage in self-defense at any moment.
Posted by: dismay | June 5, 2010 1:29 PM
I have read several comments which state there is a double standard in the city which favors police officers. What about the double standard which assumes a citizen is innocent until proven guilty but automatically indites and convicts every police officer? Why doesn't everyone wait until an investigation is conducted and an official ruling passed? I can assure you if there ever was a culture where police officers were "above the law" it no longer exists. It has been replaced by an environment where police officers are scared to perform their duty because of fear of potential civil and criminal liability.
Posted by: Jill | June 5, 2010 4:55 PM
I think this is insane:
The officer who fired his weapon was not immediately identified and will not be until 48 hours after the shooting, in keeping with department policy. He has been taken off the street and assigned to desk duty.
How can this guy still be allowed to work after firing his gun THIRTEEN TIMES! I've seen girls get groped all the time, sometimes by my friends. People get drunk and do stupid things, whatever. But a pig gets drunk and kills an unarmed man for this, doesn't get arrested, doesn't get his name released, continues to go to work as an officer and now the Balt PD is going to skew the facts and cover up for him
LOL America!
Posted by: Mike | June 5, 2010 5:57 PM
Desk duty? This officer shot a man 13 times for patting his girlfirend's ass? Desk duty! Unless that desk is in City Jail, what qualifies this killer any different treatment from you or I? Is anybody going to clean up or clean out the Baltimore City Police department or are the citizens forced to take the law into their own hands? Desk duty...pahah!
Posted by: Jim | June 5, 2010 9:45 PM
"Why doesn't everyone wait until an investigation is conducted and an official ruling passed?"
Unfortunately, we have seen time after time after time where the "good cops" cover for the bad ones. The investigations are always handled internally. Everyone from IA to the police chief to judges and prosecutors line up to cover for these guys.
Notice none of this "preliminary information" suggests that this officer was attacked, let alone violently attacked in a manner justifying a response like eight shots to the man's chest. The breath test refusal speaks for itself- in Texas that would be good enough for a minimum 6 month license suspension (and that's just for a car, not a freaking firearm).
All the comments sound like pissed off people because we are. If you, me or any other citizen was liquored up in a bar and shot a man six times in the chest for hitting on our girlfriend we wouldn't be behind a desk, receiving a taxpayer-provided salary. We'd be IN JAIL. We'd be IMMEDIATELY FIRED from our jobs. Our reputations, even if innocent, would be PERMANENTLY RUINED. We would spend MANY years in state prison.
We will see a story in 90 days about how a "fair, impartial (and INTERNAL) investigation determined the officers use of force to be proportional to the threat and in self-defense." The officer will be back out in the bars, allegedly getting wasted and shooting people who dare question his authority.
Posted by: matt | June 6, 2010 9:25 AM
Would if both people were wrong? I agree that the officer is getting treatment that most of us wouldn't get in his situation but its' the system so go down and protest or be quiet... On the other side just becuasd it is a norm doesn't mean it is ok to do.. Guys have been disrespectful to women for a longtime and maybe this is a wake up call for guys to stop doing it... Or.. For all my religious folks.. Maybe it was his time to go... Lesson... Demand from others what you want for yourself...
Posted by: Jason | June 6, 2010 2:05 PM
the man the Killed was my friend and one of the sweetest ppl on this planet. This just another incident of tough guy cop who can be a man without his piece. This was senseless. And it was murder and he should pay!
Posted by: Moe Holmes | June 6, 2010 7:16 PM
This too close to me to make a clear comment, Tyrone Brown was a friend of mine we graduated from high school together, and are bot Veterans of these United States. But until these laws that the Police in any state be changed this will not be the first or the last of a INTOXICATED COP shooting an UNARMED INTOXICATED man because he touched a female, it didn't say grope or grab or disrespect it said touched and the officers poor intoxicated judgment took the life of a person. Miss You Scoli Love you Bro.
Posted by: Will | June 6, 2010 11:16 PM
maybe next time the guy wont mess with someones girlfriend
Posted by: glen | June 7, 2010 10:42 AM
Tyrone was a good friend of mine he was a loud mouth arrogant brain washed marine that didn't care what he said but regardless of what he said or did he didn't deserve to die he had a big heart and now because of the immaturity level of a intoxicated baltimore city police officer who allowed his badge to go to his head that big heart will never beat again. All of the comments that I have read are true the police will find a way of covering this up. Let it have been you or me refusing to take a breath test to the judicial system that is an automatic sign of guilt the same goes for a lie detector test. To hell with a investigation there is no need for one baltimore city police look at your rules and regulations he broke them all I understand defending and taking care of your own but we were schooled early in life that if you make your bed than you have to lay in it. He took the life of a great friend a great soldier a great father and a great brother and now he has to man up for his actions
Posted by: billy d. | June 7, 2010 11:07 AM
> maybe next time the guy wont mess with someones girlfriend
Because he's dead. Sounds like reasonable force, right?
Posted by: danny123 | June 7, 2010 11:36 AM
Obviously the cop is an [jerk] and shouldn't have shot Mr. Brown, but let's face it, if Mr. Brown hadn't been making advances and, from what I've read, groping the woman, he would more than likely be attending his daughter's 8th grade graduation today, but instead he is dead and another black child is going to grow up without a father and we'll have one more single black mother in the world...
Posted by: Alex | June 7, 2010 2:17 PM
shooting a man 13 times is not concidered self defence everyone has the right not to be tested for alchohal how ever you spell that. but they go jail this cop shot a man for the same thing years ago one excuse after another
Posted by: ronald | June 8, 2010 4:47 AM
How are the police going to defend shooting an unarmed man? " I thought he had a gun." works in Las Vegas.
Posted by: Zemfrost | June 10, 2010 1:03 PM