Baltimore Police released officer body camera footage Wednesday of a South Baltimore shooting that left a man dead and a detective hospitalized.
Officers questioned Anthony Ferguson, 39, about having a weapon as he sat on the steps of a building in the 3400 block of South Hanover Street in Fairfield.
Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said officers were investigating a call on May 24 about a person of interest after shots were fired earlier in the week. He said during a Wednesday press conference at police headquarters that Ferguson fired at least 15 rounds at people but did not hit them.
A nearly six-minute video shows officers firing first at Ferguson after he pulled out a gun and pointed it at officers.
“He had plenty of chances to drop the weapon,” Worley said.
Before the exchange of gunfire, during which one officer was hit, Ferguson handed over his backpack for one of the officers to search.
”You ain’t got no guns on you, right?” one officer asks. “Just lift your shirt up so I can see,” he adds before Ferguson stands and reaches in his pants to pull out the firearm.
Commands of “drop the gun” can be heard seconds later as multiple gunshots are fired. According to BPD, five officers fired a total of 39 shots.
The officers have been identified as Sgt. Timothy Copeland, an 18-year veteran; Detective Nicholas Wellems, a 10-year veteran; Officer Brandall Mable, a six-year veteran; Officer Nicolas Sturla, a four-year veteran and Officer Kevin Retamales, a three-year veteran, all assigned to the department’s Southern District.
Wellems was named as the detective who first responders took to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center. He had been supplementing patrol and acting as backup to the officers.
Maryland’s Office of the Attorney General Independent Investigations Division and BPD’s Special Investigative Response Team will conduct the investigation. All officers will remain on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
IID investigates all officer-involved shooting deaths, as it does all Maryland police killings or incidents in which injuries result in the death of a civilian. Names of police involved in shootings and anyone killed by police shootings are generally released within 48 hours. IID typically releases footage from body-worn cameras within 20 business days.