Police Shoot Man in Panda Outfit Threatening To Blow Up TV Station

BALTIMORE, MD (UPDATE 5:45 p.m.)— A 25-year-old Howard County man who barricaded himself inside the Fox 45 news station in an attempt to get something broadcast on the news is in serious condition after he refused to show his hands and was shot, according to Baltimore Police.

Clad in a "panda outfit onesie," the man entered the building on TV Hill around 1:20 p.m. and threatened staff at Fox 45 "with some type of outfit that appeared to be a bomb," Baltimore Police Media Relations Director T.J. Smith said.

The suspect, who has not been publicly identified, “brought in some type of device—we believe a flash drive—and wanted Fox 45 to air something on the news," Smith said.

In addition to the panda onesie, the man was wearing a surgical mask and red-type flotation device that was made to look like it had explosives attached, according to Smith. In actuality, the items were candy bars wrapped in aluminum foil with wires connecting them, linked to a small motherboard, Smith said. A wire also ran down the sleeve of his jacket into his hand, to appear as though it was capable of detonating something, he added.

The panda costume-wearing man spoke with a security officer who was not a Fox 45 employee, and that individual alerted police, officials said.

As authorities arrived, Fox 45 staff members were evacuating the building, according to Smith.

A vehicle that was either the man's car or at least was associated with him was on fire around the same time, Smith said. That was deemed an arson.

Public safety officials from the fire department to the SWAT team responded to the building in the 2000 block of West 41st Street, where authorities said the man was believed to pose a threat to the community.

Three Baltimore Police officers shot the costumed man after he refused to follow orders to show his hands, according to Smith. He was listed in serious but stable condition at a Baltimore hospital, Smith said.

A robot was used to remove his clothing, and officials were continuing to clear the building, Smith said after 5:30 p.m.

Police Commissioner Kevin Davis described the incident as an "unusual event" and said he did not have "a rational explanation for irrational behavior."

The suspect has not been charged and is receiving treatment at a local hospital, according to police. Local authorities said they were working with federal partners and the state's attorney's office on the investigation, which is ongoing.

Previous Report: 4 p.m.

A man was shot and injured outside Fox 45, and the TV station was evacuated Thursday afternoon in what a police spokesman said was an "evolving" situation that posed a threat to public safety.

"The situation is not secure; it's not safe," Baltimore Police Media Director T.J. Smith said after 3:30 p.m.

Police responded to TV Hill around 1:20 p.m. after a man wearing a surgical mask and costume came into the Fox 45 building with "some type of device in his hand as he gave orders," Smith said.

The suspect, a white man in his 20s whose identity has not been confirmed, "displayed what appeared to be wires and some other things inside of his jacket," which Smith said may be an explosive device.

"Why did he do this? We don't know the answer to that," Smith said.

In any case, the building in the 2000 block of West 41st Street was evacuated, police said.

Around the same time, a vehicle fire broke out in the parking lot, according to Smith. It was deemed an arson, with a rag found inside the gas tank, he said. It was not determined whether it was related to the costumed man.

When authorities arrived, the suspect came out of the building and refused to follow orders to take his hands out of his pockets, at which point he was shot by a counter-sniper, according to Smith.

Authorities were using a robot to approach and speak with the man, who was lying in the street, still had his hands in his pockets, had some sort of device in his hands and was refusing to follow orders, Smith said.

"Right now, it's an evolving situation," Smith said. "We're still urging the public to stay away from this immediate area," Smith said, noting that the area had not been secured as of 3:30 p.m. "There's a threat to the public right now," he said.

Authorities said they had to make sure there were no additional threats so they could provide medical attention to the suspect and ensure nothing else in the area may be wired.

"Our immediate concern is getting this person in custody," Police Commissioner Kevin Davis said.

Previous Report

BALTIMORE, MD — The Fox 45 building was evacuated Thursday after a suspicious person inside the building made threats that he had a bomb, according to a report from the station.

The suspect—a man wearing a hedgehog suit—was shotafter he refused to take his hands out of his pockets when police ordered him to do so, according to WJZ, which reported he was still alive Thursday afternoon.

During the evacuation, a fire was also put out in the building's parking lot after a car was set on fire, according to the report.

It is not confirmed that the fire and bomb threat are related. As staff members were evacuated they noticed a man standing in the building's lobby.

The bomb squad is now on the scene.

This is a developing story. Refresh the page for updates.

Several reporters at Fox 45 live tweeted the situation, here's what they said: