Four Baltimore police officers who shot at an armed man during a foot pursuit in November will not face criminal charges, according to state prosecutors. Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown stated that the officers returned fire after the suspect, Hunter Jessup, fired seven shots at them while trying to escape. Jessup was later pronounced dead at a hospital. This decision follows an investigation by the attorney general’s office, which now has the authority to make charging decisions regarding police shootings and in-custody deaths, thanks to a law change enacted last year. The incident occurred on November 7 when officers from a specialized gun squad approached Jessup while patrolling in southwest Baltimore. Some community members have raised concerns about the officers’ actions, suggesting that they displayed overly aggressive behavior and escalated otherwise peaceful encounters. However, Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley commended the officers, stating that they were protecting public safety in a neighborhood plagued by violence. The attorney general’s office concluded that the officers acted in self-defense or defense of others and did not use excessive force. The report released by the office stated that the officers had no reasonable alternative to using deadly force at the moment they fired, making it difficult for a prosecutor to prove that the shootings constituted excessive force.
Four Baltimore police officers will not face criminal charges for firing dozens of shots at an armed man during a foot pursuit in November, according to state prosecutors. The officers returned fire after the suspect fired seven shots at them while fleeing. The decision not to charge the officers came after an investigation by the attorney general’s office, which now has the authority to make charging decisions in police shootings. Some community members raised concerns about the officers’ behavior, but the attorney general’s office found that the officers acted in self-defense and did not use excessive force. Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley commended the officers for protecting public safety in a violent area.
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