FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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BALTIMORE, MD – Today, Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced his decision not to seek charges in the Saturday, October 26, 2024 officer-involved in-custody death that occurred in Hagerstown, Washington County, Maryland.
On Saturday, October 26, 2024, at approximately 10:06 p.m., Hagerstown Police Department (HPD) and Washington County Narcotics Task Force officers arrived in the 100 block of E. Washington Street in Hagerstown to execute a search and seizure warrant on an apartment. Upon arrival, two officers observed the subject of their investigation, Kelvin Baker, standing on the sidewalk in front of the apartment building. Officers approached Baker, then frisked, handcuffed, and placed him in the rear seat of the driver side of a marked police cruiser without incident. Baker remained in the vehicle while officers took turns monitoring him from the outside. Approximately 28 minutes later, while checking on Baker, an officer noticed that Baker appeared to be in medical distress. Upon opening the rear driver side door, the officer found Baker slumped over and unresponsive. The officer immediately began administering medical aid and requested emergency medical services. Shortly thereafter, another officer took over providing aid until paramedics arrived. Baker was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division (IID) began investigating the officer-involved in-custody death on Sunday, October 27, 2024, and concluded its investigation on August 12, 2025. After completing its investigation and evaluating all the available evidence, the Office of the Attorney General has determined that the subject officers did not commit a crime under Maryland law. Accordingly, the Attorney General has declined to prosecute any of the officers in this case.
A copy of the IID’s detailed investigative findings and analysis of relevant legal issues can be found in its declination report.
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