Bowie Police Officer Charged In Shooting Incident Near Stalled Vehicle

BOWIE, MD — A Bowie police officer has been charged with attempted second-degree murder after a Prince George's County grand jury returned an indictment against him Thursday.

Sgt. Robert Warrington, a 12-year-veteran of the force, was captured on video shooting at a man after stopping behind an apparent stranded driver on Collington Road in Bowie on Sept. 12 around 8 a.m. He had pulled his vehicle over to help what was believed to be a stranded driver on northbound Collington Road (MD 197) and eastbound John Hanson Highway(US 50). While walking up to the vehicle, the police officer discharged its firearm, hitting a vehicle that was passing by, the police department stated.

During the investigation, it was learned that video released by the police department shows Warrington pulling up behind a car with its hazard lights on. As he opened his door, a man can be seen walking next to the patrol car and continuing toward the passenger side of the car that was in the shoulder with its lights flashing.“Are you here to help her?” Warrington can be heard asking the man, who responded, “Nah, she’s taking me to the hospital,” apparently referencing the woman inside the stranded vehicle.

About three seconds after the exchange, the officer can be seen pulling out his service weapon and firing in the man’s direction. The man fell to the ground as the woman in the car got out and repeatedly shouted, “What did you do?”Warrington can be heard saying “he had a gun” and the man responded from the ground, “I don’t have a gun.” Shortly after that, Warrington can be heard repeating “I’m sorry,” several times. The man was not shot, instead, prosecutors said a bullet from the officer’s gun hit a passing car.

“When actions of an officer or anyone, whether it’s a civilian as well, show a disregard for life, the law is there to hold them accountable, and that’s what’s happening in this case at this time,” Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy said in a statement.

During the announcement of the indictment against Warrington, the Bowie Police Department also released Warrington’s body camera and dashcam footage showing the Sept. 12 shooting.

"I support the grand jury's independent objective process. Sgt. Warrington will be suspended without pay. In keeping with my statement to the community on Sept. 23, 2024, I agreed to release the vehicle and body-worn camera footage to the public after consulting with the State's Attorney's Office, even though our policy doesn't require me to do so," Bowie Police Chief Dwayne A. Preston said in a statement.