Slain Baltimore County Officer Amy Caprio: 5 Things To Know

PERRY HALL, MD — Baltimore County Police Officer First Class Amy Caprio was killed Monday while responding to a suspicious vehicle call that was linked to a group of accused teenage burglars. She confronted the group's driver, Dawnta Harris, on Linwen Way in Perry Hall, ordered him out of a stolen Jeep, and he reportedly sped toward Caprio. While she fired a shot at the oncoming SUV, Caprio was fatally hit by the Jeep.

Four Baltimore teens are being charged in her death, which Baltimore County officials said is the first female line-of-duty death in the department's 144 years.

Caprio's viewing will be at Schimunek Funeral Home, 9705 Belair Rd. in Perry Hall, WJZ reported. The funeral will be held Friday, May 25, at Mountain Christian Church, 1824 Mountain Rd. in Fallston.

Here are 5 things to know about Officer Caprio:

1: She wanted to be a physical therapist, but found her calling in police work.

Amy graduated from Towson University with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Exercise Science in 2010, initially with the intention of going into physical therapy, the Baltimore County government website says.

Then she found her passion in police work. She graduated from the Baltimore County Police Department's Police Academy on December 23, 2014 as a member of our 140th recruit class.

2: She was the first woman to die in the line of duty in the Baltimore County Police Department's 144 year history.

Police are still investigating the specific events leading to her death. Initial reports said she was shot, but there was never confirmation. Police did not confirm whether there was a gunshot.

Caprio was the 11th officer in the Baltimore County Police Department to die in the line of duty.

Amy Caprio's supervisor, Lieutenant Chemelli, had this to say about her:

"It was an honor to be her supervisor. I can personally say that she had a work ethic like no other. She truly loved being a police officer and helping others - this was her passion and definitely her calling. She made the ultimate sacrifice doing a job that she loved. She will be greatly missed by our shift and will forever be our hero."

3: The four teen suspects, all of Baltimore, are facing murder charges.

Dawnta Harris, 16, Eugene Genius, 17, Derrick Matthews, 16, and Darrel Ward, 15, are all being tried as adults on first degree murder charges. The latter three are also facing burglary charges.

Harris was driving a black Jeep when Caprio arrived on the scene, police say, while the three others were breaking into a house on Linwen Way. She followed him to a cul-de-sac, got out of her cruiser, and ordered him out of the Jeep. Police say Harris then opened the door slightly, closed it and sped towards Caprio, striking her. He then ditched the Jeep nearby, police say.

A neighbor with paramedic training began life-saving measures and she was taken to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 2:50 p.m. Monday.

4: She was about to celebrate her third wedding anniversary.

Not only did she have plans to go on a week-long vacation this weekend with her husband to celebrate their third anniversary and both of their birthdays. Amy was about to turn 30 on Sunday. Born on May 27, 1988, Amy was married to Tim Caprio, the Baltimore Sun reported.

Heavy.com reported a man who identified himself as Tim Caprio spoke to a radio morning show on Tuesday, saying "“I’m just still grieving,” he said. “I just feel like talking about it is definitely better than not.”

5: She was outdoorsy and had a strong love for dogs.

Amy Caprio was outdoorsy and had a love for animals. She adored her dog, Doodle, and enjoyed kayaking with Tim and mountain biking with her new bike. "She was a dog lover, making sure to have a leash and dog treats on hand when she went out on patrol - just in case," the Baltimore County government website says.

Article image via Baltimore County Police Department