FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts
[email protected]
410-576-7009
BALTIMORE, MD – Today, Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced his decision not to seek charges in the Wednesday, April 23, 2025 fatal police-involved shooting that occurred in Arbutus, Baltimore County, Maryland.
On April 23, 2025, at approximately 10:22 a.m., the Baltimore County Police Department (BCoPD) received multiple reports of a man carrying a loaded bow and arrow in the 1400 block of Linden Avenue in Arbutus. Callers advised that the individual, later identified as Arvel Jones, Sr., was wearing a mask and discharging arrows at passing vehicles. A uniformed BCoPD officer operating a marked patrol vehicle located Jones in the 5100 block of Leeds Avenue. The uniformed officer requested backup and observed Jones without initiating direct contact with him. Detective Todd Wiedel, who was in the area in plain clothes and in an unmarked cruiser, responded to the request for backup. Detective Wiedel observed Jones at the intersection of Leeds Avenue and North Avenue, and then got out of his cruiser. Almost simultaneously, Detective Wiedel drew his department-issued handgun, Jones turned toward Detective Wiedel with the bow loaded, and both discharged their weapons. Jones’s arrow missed Detective Wiedel, but Detective Wiedel’s shots struck Jones. Detective Wiedel immediately rendered emergency medical aid until emergency medical services (EMS) personnel arrived. Jones was pronounced deceased at the scene. A bow and arrows were recovered in close proximity to Jones.
The Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division (IID) began investigating the fatal police-involved shooting on Wednesday, April 23, 2025, and concluded its investigation on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. After completing its investigation and evaluating all the available evidence, the Office of the Attorney General has determined that the subject officer did not commit a crime under Maryland law. Accordingly, the Attorney General has declined to prosecute the subject officer 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.
###