Baltimore: Conflicting Reports About A Police Shooting

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Baltimore police initially denied reports from Fox News that officers had shot a man multiple times earlier today, prompting an apology from a TV anchor. However, now live video (embedded below) certainly shows that something is going on in the area around where Freddie Gray was shot and there was rioting last week.  Today there are new reports that a man has been shot, although police say they did not shoot him, while people at the scene say they did.

A man’s voice could be heard in the background of the video saying repeatedly, “Baltimore police just shot a man in the back and are macing people.” Other people are saying the police were “being aggressive.” In the video, police could be seen with mace canisters pointed at people.

Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream

Fox News was reporting that Baltimore police shot a man multiple times today, but police are now saying that it isn’t true. CBS Baltimore reported that there was a heavy police presence in the area around where Freddie Gray was arrested and rioting took place last week but that it was unclear why there were so many officers there.

According to CBS, scanner traffic indicated multiple “signal 13’s,” which is the code for an officer in need of assistance. Once again, Baltimore police say the reports that officers had shot a man today ARE NOT true.

PREVIOUSLY

Baltimore police have reportedly shot a man multiple times. The shooting happened in the same part of the city where rioting began last week in connection with the death of Freddie Gray. At this point, it’s unclear what happened that resulted in the shooting. News crews on the scene reported seeing a young black male fleeing police before being shot. It isn’t clear whether the man shot by Baltimore police was carrying a weapon.

Details on today’s Baltimore police shooting

Immediately after the shooting, a crowd formed around the man who had been shot by Baltimore police, and emergency personnel quickly loaded him into an ambulance to transport him to the hospital. His condition was not made immediately available.

Although it isn’t known if the man who was shot was carrying a weapon, news crews did report seeing a gun lying on the sidewalk nearby. One witness reportedly said Baltimore police and the man who was shot did not speak to each other. She described him as possibly being in his teens.

National Guard was to leave Baltimore

Last week prosecutors charged one Baltimore police officer with murder in the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray. Prosecutors filed manslaughter charges against three officers and assault charges against two others.

Gray died on April 19 after being injured while in custody. Baltimore was thrown into an upheaval as people began rioting, burning 15 buildings and over 100 cars a week ago in connection with his death. Officials said Gray’s neck was broken last month when he was left lying face down in a police van.

The National Guard was called into Baltimore to subdue the riots but was expected to leave today.

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