Baltimore County Police Officer Fatally Shot in Catonsville

By Esther French

A Baltimore County police officer was fatally shot Wednesday morning while serving a warrant at a Catonsville home.

Officer Jason Schneider, 36, was a 13-year veteran of the force, assigned to the tactical division since 2004, according to police.

Baltimore County executive Kevin Kamenetz issued the following statement on Schneider's death in the line of duty:

"On behalf of the 817,000 residents of Baltimore County, my thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Tactical Officer Jason Schneider who was shot and killed this morning while doing what our police officers do fearlessly each and every day  -- protecting our Baltimore County neighborhoods.  To the men and women of the Baltimore County Police Department, please know that we appreciate your service and know that you are in great pain having lost a brother in arms this morning.  I encourage everyone in Baltimore County to take a private moment today to remember Officer Schneider and his family.  He was one of Baltimore County's quiet heroes."

The shooting occurred sometime around 5:30 a.m. on Roberts Avenue, off Winters Lane, The Baltimore Sun reported. Police said the Shneider was going room-to-room inside the home when he was shot several times, but was able to return fire and hit a suspect, who was transferred to Maryland Shock Trauma Center in critical condition, according to The Sun.

Police have not yet released the name of the suspect. 
There have been an unusually high number of shootings in the Catonsville area this month. Two men were injured in a shooting on Edmondson Avenue Aug. 17. On Aug. 19, a man was shot during an altercation on Winters Lane. Two days later, a 16-year-old boy was shot in the arm in the Woodlawn area. 
Gov. Martin O'Malley has ordered  the Maryland flag to be flown at half-staff in honor of the fallen officer.

Patch editor Marge Neal contributed to this article.