BALTIMORE — A Baltimore Police Officer was found guilty of reckless endangerment.
Officer Christopher Nguyen faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and/or a fine of $5,000 at sentencing which is scheduled for October 27.
“I applaud my Public Trust and Police Integrity Unit for holding Officer Nguyen accountable for his failure to protect the victim in this case,” said State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby. “The citizens of Baltimore deserve to feel protected in the presence of a police officer and not fearful that they will stand idly by while an unrestrained suspect attacks them.”
PAST: Baltimore Officer charged with reckless endangerment
On August 12, 2020, on the 4200 block of Kolb Avenue, Officer Nguyen failed to properly supervise, secure or otherwise detain suspect, Kenneth Sommers, which created a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury to the victim, Wayne Brown, a physically incapacitated individual at the time.
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Officer Nguyen, having already identified the suspect in the alleged assault of the victim, failed to secure or properly detain the suspect to protect the victim from further injury as the Officer investigated the alleged assault in question.
Officer Nguyen failed to take any action as the suspect ignored the Officer’s questions, exited his truck, and walked unobstructed toward the victim who was lying motionless and bleeding on the sidewalk.
Officer Nguyen failed to place himself between the suspect and the victim which allowed the suspect to bend down, saying to the victim, “Hey, can you see that? Can you see? So you can remember me.”
According to records, Officer Nguyen also failed to prevent further harm to the victim by remaining far enough away to allow the suspect to kick the victim in the head forcefully.
According to court documents, Officer Nguyen was a sworn police officer with the BPD at the time these events occurred and did unlawfully, knowingly, and corruptly fail to act as required in the performance of, and under the color of, authority of his official duties.
