Photo: Moment RF
A Baltimore police officer has been suspended after a viral video showed him nearly hitting a Black man with his patrol car.
Video of the incident, which unfolded in the predominantly Black neighborhood of Park Heights, shows an unidentified white officer veering his cruiser off the street and onto a grassy vacant lot, accelerating toward a Black man. The man quickly jumped out of the way before he could be hit by the officer's patrol vehicle.
Prior to the incident, the person recording the video can be heard questioning the officer, saying, “What’s your reason to stop him? You don’t even have no reason to stop him.”
Moments later, the officer appeared to speed his vehicle toward the man as he walked up an alley.
“The contents of the video are deeply concerning,” Mayor Brandon Scott said in a statement. “The officer in question has been suspended, and the situation is under investigation. This investigation will be thorough, in accordance with all laws and regulations, to ensure proper accountability.”
Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley also called the footage “disturbing” and “alarming.”
“This is not how we expect our officers to behave, and this incident does not reflect the values or standards of the Baltimore Police Department,” Worley said. “Our department continues to work hard to rebuild trust and change the narrative of our department and our city. We remain committed to holding officers accountable for their actions and continuing the work of rebuilding trust with our community.”
An investigation into the incident remains ongoing. It remains unclear what prompted the confrontation or whether the man suffered any injuries.
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