Nov 16, 2007 6:24 pm US/Eastern
Officer Shot In Baltimore, Suspect Shot Dead
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
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A shooting Thursday night leaves a Baltimore police officer injured.
In what Baltimore City Police call a gun battle in East Baltimore, an armed man with a semiautomatic handgun shot an officer in the leg. The injuries are not life-threatening.
Mike Hellgren reports police shot back at that man, who died at the scene.
The suspect has been identified as 21-year-old Ron Herbert Jones. Police say he was known to them with several past arrests. He was on parole at the time for a handgun charge.
Kay Bauer and her daughter heard every frightening gunshot. One pierced their front window.
"When I opened my door," Kay said, "you could still see the smoke from all the gunshots."
"I had got on the floor and there were a lot of gunshots and I didn't know what was happening because I just woke up," said her daughter, Kaylena. "I saw the suspect underneath the van. He was bleeding."
Police say they originally stopped that suspect several blocks away. He was driving a van, acting suspiciously.
"From what we understand, the officers activated their lights, attempting to pull the driver over. It was at that point that the driver bailed out," said Donny Moses, Baltimore City Police spokesperson.
He fled on foot, encountering two more officers. That's when the bullets started flying.
"It's just a reminder of how dangerous the streets of Baltimore are and our officers are out there every day and every night," said Bob Cherry.
The officer is still being treated. His leg is fractured.
"He's expected to make a full recovery and his spirits are good right now," said Police Commissioner Frederick Bealefeld.
Police have recovered the weapon they say the suspect used.
"This is a very dangerous business. These men and women do a difficult job and put themselves out there," Bealefeld said.
The number of police-involved shootings in Baltimore has more than doubled since last year. Twelve suspects were killed and 31 shot. Officers are increasingly becoming the targets of criminals.
"When our officers go to work each day, they don't know if they'll be at Shock Trauma or the morgue," said Paul Blair, FOP spokesperson.
The injured officer is an 11-year veteran of the police force.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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