Baltimore officer charged in shooting of burglary suspect

The 13-year veteran with the Baltimore Police Department is accused of shooting Michael Johansen, 46, after he was shot by two separate police officers.

The officer was charged with attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault and second-degree assault.

The charges against Cagle come just three months after six officers were indicted in the death of 25-year-old black man Freddie Gray, who was in police custody.

According to the Baltimore Sun, Cagle is the first city officer charged in the shooting since 2008, when Officer Tommy Sanders was charged with manslaughter. “But what’s important here is that the integrity of our profession and the integrity of our agency wins out”.

No information was immediately available about the condition or identity of the suspect.

“When we establish evidence that a police officer commits a crime, our hand in glove relationship with the State’s Attorney Office will ensure justice prevails”, said Interim Commissioner Kevin Davis in a statement.

A total of four officers responded to a reported commercial burglary in progress at about 4:45 a.m. on December 28.

Witnesses told police that Cagle then came out of the alley in the rear of the store. After giving the suspect verbal commands and finding him uncooperative, Smith and Leary fired their service weapons at him.

He fell to the floor, his body partially inside of the store and his feet on the steps outside. That’s when Cagle approached Johansen with his gun drawn, the statement said. The man said to Cagle, “What did you shoot me with, a beanbag?” “No”, Cagle allegedly replied, “a. 40 caliber, you piece of shit”.

Mosby said detectives later determined that Johansen had no weapon. Police did not mention the gunshot wound to his groin area.

Cagle had never shot anyone before, police said. He earned $76,021.76 in the fiscal year that ended June 30.

A Baltimore cop who allegedly shot a burglary suspect last December after calling him a “piece of s–” has been charged with attempted murder, officials announced Wednesday. In 2006 he received a 10-year suspended sentence for second-degree burglary.

Today, after he was charged, Cagle was suspended without pay.

The suit says Brooks was taken to a hospital for treatment and detained for several hours without being notified of any charges against her. It also says that Brooks was released without charging papers and later received a letter from the police department informing her that all records of her arrest had been expunged.

Supporters said the move helped to calm a city that had erupted in riots, arson and looting. It doesn’t make police officers feel very good. He has arrested hundreds of people on charges ranging from trespassing to murder.

Trial for those officers is scheduled for October.

Of the charges against Cagle, Davis noted that the Police Department investigated the incident in conjunction with prosecutors.