Officials Release Video of Fatal Police-Involved Reisterstown Shooting

The Baltimore County Police Department released video on Friday from the recent fatal police-involved shooting in Reisterstown.

A 19-year-old was fatally shot on Reisterstown’s Main Street Wednesday after allegedly trying to obtain a forged prescription, leading police on a foot chase and aggressively advancing toward an officer, according to the Baltimore County Police Department.

“We believe that transparency in cases like this, where we actually have footage, will help citizens understand the incident and the dangers police officers face each and every day,” Baltimore County Police Chief Jim Johnson said at a press conference Friday.

Keith Harrison McLeod, whose last known address was in the 1200 block of Faraday Place NE in Washington, D.C., was shot three times and later pronounced deceased, police reported.

Related: Fatal Police-Involved Shooting Reported in Reisterstown

Police became involved after a pharmacist alerted authorities that someone had forged a prescription for the narcotic cough syrup Promethazine-codeine at Nature Care pharmacy in the unit block of Main Street at 4:50 p.m. Wednesday, police reported.

The responding policeman—identified as Officer Earomirski—arrived five minutes later and saw McLeod in the pharmacy parking lot, then was led on a foot chase across Main Street, behind businesses on the east side of the street, police reported.

Witnesses reportedly told police that the officer said “stop” repeatedly to the suspect, who yelled profanities at Earomirski. Video from CCTV cameras did not contain audio, according to Chief Johnson.

McLeod allegedly said: “I’m going to kill you” several times to the officer, who Johnson said had a split second to make a life-and-death decision.

McLeod put his hand behind his back and whipped his arm forward as though he had a weapon while confronting the officer, who fired his gun, according to police.

Shot three times, McLeod was taken to Northwest Hospital, where he was declared deceased, police reported.

Here is a description that police provided about the footage from the Sept. 23 shooting in Reisterstown:

Detectives obtained video evidence from nearby businesses that captures the confrontation.

The footage shows the suspect aggressively advancing on a single officer, who retreats with his gun drawn.

The footage shows the suspect reaching around to the small of his back and abruptly whipping his hand around and pointing it toward the officer, as if with a weapon.

The officer fires his weapon as the suspect swiftly brings his hand forward from his waistband.

On the ground, the suspect refuses to comply and keeps reaching into his waistband, as if for a weapon.

Officer Earomirski has been placed on administrative leave as is standard procedure after police-involved shootings. Police said he has been with the department since 2005 and this is the first shooting in which he has been involved.

The state’s attorney’s office has reviewed video from businesses near the scene, according to police, who said that was why the department was releasing the video to the public Friday afternoon.

Johnson stressed the importance of transparency and made a plug for the newly announced body camera initiative.

See Also: Baltimore County Police to Wear Body Cameras in 2016