VIDEO: Suspect Kills Himself Inside Baltimore Police Station
A suspect taken into custody by Baltimore police in connection with an attempted murder was able to conceal a "high-caliber" handgun and fatally shot himself Tuesday afternoon inside the Southwestern District police station, police said, reports the Baltimore Sun.
Police said they were investigating how the man was in possession of the weapon despite being held for hours at the station in the 400 block of Font Hill Ave. The shooting occurred in a bathroom as the district's officers were in a nearby room for daily roll call.
"Our policy is clear: whenever we transport an individual to the station, it's imperative that for the officers' safety and the safety of the individual that we pat them down and make sure they have no weapons," said Deputy Commissioner Jerry Rodriguez, who heads the agency's professional standards and accountability bureau. "This individual was a dangerous individual, and anything short of a thorough search would not be acceptable."
Rodriguez repeatedly said the suspect was "dangerous" and was affiliated with a gang, though he declined to identify the gang. Rodriguez said he did not know whether officers failed to search the man. "We need to find out exactly how this occurred, and we will," he said.
