Machete-Wielding Man Dies After Officer-Involved Shooting: Police

RANDALLSTOWN, MD — Police said a man has died after two officers shot at him as he wielded a machete Tuesday afternoon inside the Randallstown Aldi. Initially, authorities said he had been hospitalized in critical condition after he was shot at least once in the upper body.

Emanuel David Joshua Oates, 24, of no fixed address, has died, police reported Wednesday afternoon.

Police said that Oates was shot following a suspected shoplifting incident at the Dollar Tree and foot pursuit in the area of the Liberty Court shopping center.

Around 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 19, police said an officer had been investigating a crash in the Aldi parking when a Dollar Tree employee came up to her, said shoplifting had just occurred in the store and pointed out the suspect.

As the officer approached the suspect, police said he walked away from her and toward Old Court Road.

Other officers arrived at the scene to assist. As the man tried to run away, one officer reached out to grab the man by the arm, at which point police said the suspect pulled out a machete.

The machete-wielding man ran into the nearby Aldi, where both shoppers and employees were inside, police said. Officers told him to drop the weapon, and he did not, according to officials.

"The suspect advanced toward the officers, causing them to back up into a wall near the entrance of the store. The officers continued to order the suspect to drop the weapon, but he advanced toward them," police said. "Two officers fired their duty weapons at the suspect, who was struck at least once in the upper body."

Both officers are on routine administrative leave while the department investigates the incident.

SEE ALSO: Police Shot Suspect In Randallstown Dollar Tree Theft, Say Officials

Image via Google street view.