Video shows man move toward officer before he’s shot

A 19-year-old was fatally shot on Reisterstown’s Main Street Wednesday after allegedly trying to obtain a forged prescription, then leading police on a chase and aggressively advancing toward an officer, according to the Baltimore County Police Department. Authorities say the pharmacist notified police, and an officer saw the man in a parking lot outside the pharmacy. Police say the cough syrup is often combined with alcohol to produce a high.

On Wednesday police had said “a confrontation occurred” between the two men and that officers had “not yet recovered a weapon” from the scene.

According to the police statement, after the young man fell to the ground, he continued “reaching into his waistband as if for a weapon”, refusing to comply with orders from the officer. He was taken to Northwest Hospital, where he died.

The department has an agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge that requires officials to wait 48 hours after a shooting by an officer to identify that officer, and only release the officer’s last name, rank and assignment.

The incident was recorded on surveillance footage from a nearby business.

“We’re not releasing the video at this time because it’s evidence in an ongoing homicide investigation”, Armacost said on Friday.

So far neither the officer nor the man who was shot have been identified. “That will be after the state’s attorney reviews and determines whether the officer’s actions were justifiable”. “If it vindicates the officer, I’d think they’d want to make it public”.

The officer has been placed on routine administrative leave, according to the Baltimore Sunday.

Witnesses reported the officer told the man to stop. Police said at the time that they believed that McCain, who was black, had a weapon.