Carroll County prosecutors have cleared a Coppin State University police officer of criminal charges in the fatal shooting of a man who opened fire near the school’s campus in December.
Carroll County State’s Attorney Brian L. DeLeonardo, who was asked by the Baltimore State’s Attorney’s Office to review the case due to a conflict of interest, said the officer who fired “did so based upon a reasonable belief that Lavar Montray Douglas was an imminent danger of causing death or serious injury to the public at large.”
“His quick and lawful action very well could have saved lives that day,” DeLeonardo said in a statement.
The shooting occurred on Dec. 13, 2016 just before 7 p.m. Police said Douglas exited a sedan stopped at the intersection of Windsor and North Warwick avenues and immediately began firing a semi-automatic handgun another vehicle driving southbound on Warwick.
The officer happened to be in an unmarked car directly behind the Douglas’ vehicle and shot the gunman. Seven shell casings from the .380 caliber handgun Douglas was carrying were recovered.
Prosecutors took just weeks to clear the officer, who has not been identified, of criminal wrongdoing. The Sun reported last month that a majority of police-involved shootings that have occurred over the past 16 months remain open and under review.
Police investigating shooting scene outside Daley Residence Hall at Coppin State.
Police investigating shooting scene outside Daley Residence Hall at Coppin State.
The Coppin shooting is the second police shooting case Baltimore prosecutors asked Carroll County prosecutors to review due to a conflict. Carroll prosecutors also cleared a city officer of criminal wrongdoing in a January 2016 shooting. That review took about four months total.
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