A police officer has been injured and a suspect fatally shot after a burglary turned into a hostage situation near a synagogue in Baltimore, Maryland. The incident unfolded on Tuesday just before noon in the 6200 block of Park Heights Avenue, where officers responding to a burglary call were met with gunfire.
Police Commissioner Richard Worley said a 36-year-old officer, who had served for 13 years, was shot in the leg. He was taken to the Shock Trauma Center after a tourniquet was applied and is described as awake and stable. A female hostage jumped from a window to escape and was also taken to hospital.
The suspect then appeared at a window with a gun to the head of another hostage, a family member. SWAT officers arrived and a sniper shot the suspect, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The second hostage, a relative of the suspect, was taken to hospital for evaluation but is not believed to be injured.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott expressed gratitude that no further injuries occurred and praised the police response. Maryland Governor Wes Moore said he had been briefed and offered state support. The location was near a synagogue but police confirmed it was not a religious institution itself.
