Officer Amy Caprio Murder Trial: Video Shows Policewoman Hit

TOWSON, MD — Jurors reportedly watched body camera video in Baltimore County Circuit Court on Tuesday that showed a police officer ordering a teen to stop before he ran her over. Officer Amy Caprio died on May 21, 2018, at the age of 29. Autopsy results indicated her death was a homicide due to traumatic injuries from being hit by a Jeep, police said.

The driver of the vehicle, Dawnta Harris, 17, is on trial for first-degree murder and other charges, including burglary, related to the officer's death. Police said Caprio was in Perry Hall that afternoon responding to a call about a suspicious Jeep and people burglarizing houses.

She followed a black Jeep Wrangler to a cul-de-sac on Linwen Way, got out of her patrol vehicle and ordered the driver to get out. Harris, who lives in the 1600 block of Vincent Court in Baltimore, was driving the Jeep, which authorities said was stolen.

Caprio ordered the teen eight times to get out of the vehicle, according to WJZ, which reported as he ran her over — breaking her ribs, damaging her spinal cord and puncturing her lung — the body camera video was covered by blood.

Prosecutors played the video within minutes of their opening statement. Defense objected as Officer Caprio’s blood was seen pooling in front of the camera lens. Prosecutors called the Jeep a “4000 pound murder weapon” @wjz pic.twitter.com/ZhHsgM3yhG
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) April 23, 2019

Just before she was hit, police said Caprio fired a single round into the windshield of the Jeep.

Harris's attorney, J. Wyndal Gordon, said the teen tucked his head near the steering wheel to dodge the bullet, which was when the Jeep began moving, resulting in what he called a "tragic accident," according to WBAL. The news station reported that "Get out of the..." were Caprio's last words.

Harris and three other teens were indicted on 19 charges each, from first-degree murder to theft less than $100. According to the indictments, they were involved in break-ins in Perry Hall homes, stealing items from a bag of Cheetos to a handgun.

While prosecutors said that Harris participated in two burglaries and was the getaway driver, his attorneys said he had been riding in the back of the Jeep and was unaware of the crimes, WMAR reported.

The trial for Harris is expected to last through at least the end of the week.

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