No Charges For Officer In Deadly Shooting In Baltimore County

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — The officer who shot and killed a Garrison man in eastern Baltimore County in May will not be charged, according to prosecutors. Police released the body-worn camera video that Officer First Class Knight was wearing the night of the shooting.

"Everything about this incident was difficult for everyone involved," Baltimore County Police Chief Melissa Hyatt said. "As difficult as this video is to watch, it shows our officer in the right place and working to keep the community safe."

At 10:42 p.m. on May 16, an anonymous caller reported to 911 there was a crowd of about 20 to 30 people outside a home drinking on Skipjack Court in Essex, according to a transcript of the call police read at a news conference Wednesday where the body-worn camera footage was released.

Officer Knight saw a vehicle driving erratically and said it hit three cars in a parking lot at a townhouse community in Essex, according to the video. The driver got out, dropped what appeared to be a weapon on the ground, then tried to pick it up, police said.

Robert Johnson Jr., 29, of the unit block of Championship Court in Garrison, then ran. Johnson was holding a gun as he ran toward houses, according to the video from the body camera worn by the officer, who fired multiple times at the man.

Johnson was taken to an area hospital, where he died, police said. In addition to the handgun at the scene, which was pictured in the video, Col. Robert McCullough of the criminal investigations division said police found an amount of marijuana that he described as distribution-level.

A second person, shot in the leg during the incident, was treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital and released, according to McCullough.

That individual was the 20-year-old brother of Johnson who was hit by the officer's gunfire while inside his home, the Baltimore Sun reported, stating the family has hired attorneys.

Officer Knight, a 24-year veteran of the force who is permanently assigned to the Essex Precinct, has returned to patrol following a letter from the state's attorney declining to press charges in the case, according to McCullough. Police said Knight has no prior officer-involved shootings on his record.

"The loss of life is a devastating and tragic occurrence," Chief Hyatt said, "and the pain of this incident is felt by everyone who was involved."

See the body-worn camera video and news conference released by the Baltimore County Police Department. (Warning: It may be disturbing.)

The shooting remains under investigation, according to the Baltimore County Police Department.

Related: Police Say Garrison Man Dies After Being Shot By Officer