BALTIMORE, Md. — It was just after 7 p.m. on Tuesday night in West Baltimore.
Baltimore Police officers who were patrolling the area of Pennsylvania Avenue and Laurens Street were informed by another officer that a man now identified as 36-year-old Bilal Abdullah Jr. had displayed a firearm in a private business and made threatening statements.
Body-worn camera footage shows the moments officers approached him - Abdullah eventually taking off running. When an officer gets hold of him, a gunshot rings out.
Baltimore Police release bodycam footage of deadly police-involved shooting
"Detective Rodriguez catches up with the suspect, places his hands on Mr. Abdullah's shoulders, and Mr. Abdullah begins to fall. One round can be heard going off. You can see in the video at the time of the round is discharged, all BPD members on scene have their weapons holstered," Deputy Commissioner Brian Nadeau said during a news conference announcing the release of the body-worn camera footage on Monday.
Abdullah points his weapon at officers multiple times throughout the incident. They start firing in response, striking Abdullah. In the shootout, Detective Yancey is shot in the foot.
"Our officer has been released from the hospital and is recovering and doing well. He and the two additional officers who fired their weapon are administrative leave and have been referred to officer safety and wellness," Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said Monday.
According to the Baltimore Police Department (BPD): four officers were present during the incident; three discharged weapons - Detective Devin Yancy, Detective Omar Rodriguez, and Officer Ashley Negron. Of those three, two of the officers were in plain clothes with marked police vests on; one officer was in full uniform. The officers who made the initial approach were in an unmarked vehicle. A marked patrol car was also parked at the corner, occupied by Officer Negron who exited as the situation unfolded. It's unclear whether the officers identified themselves as they initially approached Abdullah. There is a buffer in the body-worn cameras before the audio kicks in.
"We don't know exactly if there was a conversation between the two at this point. Of course that's still under investigation, and once we do the interviews [with the officers] we'll probably have an answer to that question, but at this point we don't have that," Commissioner Worley said.
The three officers fired an estimated 38 rounds. Abdullah shot three.
Abdullah is prohibited from carrying a firearm, police confirmed Monday. It's unclear whether the officers involved were already familiar with him.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, bystanders begin to approach the officers, upset and angry.
We would later learn Abdullah was a fixture in the neighborhood as one of the last arabbers in the city - a vendor who sells produce out of a horse-drawn cart.
People who knew him told WMAR-2 News that was why community members began to surround the officers and shout at them. Police Commissioner Richard Worley said the reaction prevented officers from being able to render aid to Abdullah quickly. It was about 3-4 minutes before officers were able to begin providing medical assistance.
"We look at every use of force as a possible learning opportunity because nobody's perfect. Our officers were put in a very, very difficult situation. They had to try to render aid but their safety is also paramount because they were being surrounded by a crowd that was not happy," Commissioner Worley said Monday. "I think they did a great job. I think what they did is exactly what we teach them to do. They stepped back, created space, and called for additional units. Once the additional units got there, they tried to render aid to Mr. Abdullah, but unfortunately he passed."
Abdullah was pronounced deceased after 11 p.m. at the hospital.
In response to the release of the footage, Jamal Turner, chair of the Baltimore Police Accountability Board put out a statement, saying in part "The footage we observed today raises difficult and emotional questions. While it reflects the danger present in the moment, it also underscores the need to examine not only he incident but also the tactical responses and volume of force used - over 20 shots were fired. That level of force is distressing and we believe it warrants further review." You can read the full statement below.
"I recognize that emotions are high, and at the loss of a cherished member of the community and it's deeply felt. Use of force is never a first resort for the officers - as you can see, they had their guns holstered," Commissioner Worley said Monday.
The Police Accountability Board also acknowledged the "prompt release" of the footage, as a step in the right direction toward building community trust.
Commissioner Worley did tell reporters the decision to release the footage as soon as possible was a result of the public outcry.
BPD confirmed there is video of Abdullah brandishing the firearm in a store, but they "cannot release it, per the AG's rules," a spokesperson said.
The shooting remains under investigation by both BPD and the Maryland Office of the Attorney General.