Surveillance video has been released from a police-involved shooting last week in Baltimore County, Maryland.
A man, who appeared to be armed, was shot and killed by police in Reisterstown, following a confrontation outside a pharmacy last Wednesday.
Officer Earomirski, a 10-year veteran of the department, confronted a suspect outside the Nature Care Pharmacy on Main Street. The pharmacist there alerted police after 19-year old Keith McLeod tried to get prescription meds with a forged script.
Investigators told WBAL-TV that McLeod was trying to fill a script for Promethazine plus codeine, a “narcotic cough syrup often combined with alcohol to produce a high.”
Footage of the incident – which doesn’t contain any audio – shows a short chase on foot and McLeod “aggressively advancing” on the officer. Earomirski then retreats with his gun drawn. Shortly afterwards, McLeod is seen reaching around his back, as if reaching for a weapon, and pointing his hand at the officer.
“His hand is in his waistband the entire time. He never removes his hand from the waistband until the moment when he whips his hand out and points it to the officer as if he is wielding a weapon,” police spokeswoman Elise Armacost said.
Witnesses told detectives they heard Officer Earomirski repeatedly giving McLeod commands to stop, saying over and over: “You don’t want to this. You don’t want to do this.” They also said they heard McLeod shouting profanities at the officer and screaming several times at him: “I’m going to kill you.”
Officer Earomirski fired three shots, hitting McLeod.
Baltimore County police said the use of force in this case was justified. Police Chief Jim Johnson said, “My police officer had one second to make a life or death decision.”
The suspect was transported to a local hospital where he later died. A weapon was never found. McLeod’s family has reportedly reached out to an attorney.
