FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts
[email protected]
410-576-7009
BALTIMORE, MD – The Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General (OAG) is investigating a fatal police-involved shooting that occurred on Sunday, March 1, 2026, in Columbia, Howard County, Maryland.
The preliminary investigation revealed that on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at approximately 12:09 a.m., officers with the Howard County Police Department (HCPD) were responding to a 911 call from an adult male threatening to hurt himself at an apartment complex in the 6400 block of Freetown Road. When officers arrived at the complex, they entered the apartment building but did not see the man. Officers then exited the building and saw a man walking toward them from the parking lot with a knife in his hand. Officers issued multiple commands to drop the knife. The man continued to walk toward the officers. Three officers fired their service weapons, striking the man. Officers rendered emergency medical aid until emergency medical services (EMS) arrived on the scene. The man was pronounced dead on scene. Officers recovered a knife near the man. No officers were injured during the incident. The officers were equipped with body-worn cameras.
Anyone with information about this incident, including cell phone or private surveillance video, is asked to contact the IID at (410) 576–7070 or by email at [email protected].
The IID will generally release the name of the decedent and any involved officers within two business days of the incident, although that period may be extended, if necessary, pursuant to IID protocol.
The IID will generally release body-worn camera footage within 20 business days of an incident. There may be situations where more than 20 days is necessary, including if investigators need more time to complete witness interviews, if there are technical delays caused by the need to shield the identities of civilian witnesses, or to allow family members to view the video before it is released to the public.
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