A police officer was ambushed and shot while sitting in her parked police cruiser in south Baltimore, Maryland, and is in critical condition.
Police were called to the 4400 block of Pennington Avenue at around 1:30 a.m. after receiving a report of a single vehicle crash. After arriving on the scene, officers discovered that the crash involved a female police officer and that the officer had been shot multiple times.
The suspect had walked up to the car from behind and fired multiple shots at the officer as she sat in her vehicle. Investigators believe that she then accelerated the car from a parked position and crashed a short time later.
The officer was rushed to the hospital in critical condition with multiple gunshot wounds, as well as injuries from the crash.
During a press conference, Dr. Thomas Scalea, of Shock Trauma in Baltimore, spoke about her condition, stating that “the officer is critically ill with life-threatening injuries, on full life support.”
Baltimore City Police Commissioner Michael Harrison also spoke at the press conference.
“This was a cowardly, brazen act to walk up and open fire on a police officer who was doing what we asked that officer to do – to go out to protect and serve,” said Commissioner Harrison. “Our prayers are with the officer’s family. We are determined to find those responsible for this heinous crime and will not rest until we do.”
“I am asking anyone who knows anything, who has heard anything, who saw something, who knows somebody who knows something, to please call police right away,” he added.
Mayor Brandon Scott was also in attendance, and spoke out about the incident. “First and foremost, I ask that the entire city of Baltimore pray for our officer, for the officer’s family, for the officer’s coworkers, and for the community in which this happened,” he said.
Scott also released a statement via Twitter.
My statement on shooting of police officer, which occurred early this morning pic.twitter.com/AUSxjgoFyV
— Brandon M. Scott (@MayorBMScott) December 16, 2021
Dr. Scalea believes that there is still hope for the officer, who remains in critical condition after several surgeries.
“I would say we will know more in the hours and days to come. We are certainly doing our best to keep this person both on Earth and to recover as best we can,” said Dr. Scalea.
The officer has not yet been identified.
The FBI and the ATF are assisting in the investigation, and Maryland Governor Larry Hogan has offered the full resources of the Maryland State Police to aid in the investigation as well.
In a tweet, the governor wrote: “I ask all Marylanders to keep the officer in your prayers.”
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