A Baltimore man was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon by a police officer after the man pretended to draw a weapon, local media reports.
Footage shows the suspect, identified as 19-year-old Keith Harrison McLeod, of Washington, D.C, and the officer, identified only by his last name, Officer Earomirski, in the midst of a confrontation.
Earomirski has his gun drawn on McLeod, and when McLeod reaches behind his back, Earomirski fires the three shots that proved to be fatal.
“My police officer had one second to make a life or death decision,’ said Chief James Johnson.
According to authorities, McLeod tried to use a fake prescription at a local pharmacy. Police arrived on the scene to investigate and approached McLeod in the parking lot.
McLeod fled the scene, leading police on a foot pursuit. He was eventually cornered in a dead-end alley where he started to threaten the officers.
“The suspect on the other hand, according to witnesses and others, repeatedly use profanities, screamed and yelled at the officer, ‘I’m going to kill you. I’m going to kill you. I’m going to kill you’,” Johnson said.
“Any reasonable officer, or citizen encountering this situation, would feel they’re facing imminent harm and or death,’ continued the Chief.
No weapon was found on the McLeod, who was later pronounced dead. The footage was captured by a video surveillance camera belonging to a nearby business.
Earomirski has been placed on administrative leave. He joined the force in 2005.
Well, based on the footage and the available facts of the case what are your thoughts? Did the officer pull the trigger a little too quickly or was it a justifiable use of deadly force?
I just shot his ass too if you’d have done that move. That shooting is the fault of the punk that obviously didn’t get turn over somebody’s knee and got his ass whipped enough when he was growing up.
Cop is squeaky clean. Clearly “suicide by cop”. I feel bad for the cop. It sounds like he did everything he could.
The Officer reacted as he was trained. Good for him! He is alive and the asshole is dead!
Ah, he was just trying to show his “get out of jail free card”.
Looks like death by police to me! These young punks have no respect and think they own the town and it’s streets. The officer probably did both the punk and Society a favor by putting him down.
Something deep down inside me tells me this (FOOL) was a gonna be a fine doctor some day! He was already writing prescriptions!
I pray for the officer.
The shooting was justifiable but saying he’s on welfare and so on is poor judgment. He’s obviously an addict like son of your family members. Think about that before you write such hurtful words.
From the facts presented. It is a good shoot. Using the Graham Vs. Conner case as a bench mark, and the totality of the circumstances and information that the officer had at the time, not using information the officer had after the shooting. Watch the video not knowing if he was armed or not, and add in the fact the suspect is threatening to kill the officer. Absolutely 100% justified. I would suggest a good FOP attorney for this officer, one who is not afraid to counter-sue the estate of the deceased for any statements made that could possibly defame him or his character, and the mental stress caused by the situation. Maybe if more officers started doing that then we would have a few less frivolous law suits to deal with.
The officer did what he should have done. When a suspect screams threats and then pretends to pull a weapon he is done. There is no time to wait for him to further announce his intentions. I’m happy the officer is alive and uninjured.
One less welfare collecting, drug using piece of shit on this earth.
How do you know he’s on welfare. Could have been an addict like one of your family members. Think before you speak or you sound as dumb as you are.
Righteous shoot.
Great composure.
Nice shooting!
Bye bye, punk!
Good shoot. Why did the kid do something so stupid?
This is why the police have such a bad name. The officer made a good shoot. Why did this kid taunt this officer? The officer backed up to give him room. Then the family sees the film and even though their kid was obviously wrong, all they want is “lawsuit”, “lawsuit”!! I wouldn’t want the public seeing this film if i wanted “lawsuit!”
I don’t understand why we even question this. Really, If a law enforcement officer tells you to freeze or get out of the car. The LAST thing you do is taunt that officer, threated to kill the officer, or be aggressive in any way. If you believe the arrest is unwarranted you will get the opportunity to contest this when you are taken to jail. That is what lawyers do. With the rise of violence against police officers I am amazed that the officer was cool enough to repeatedly warn this 19 year old to stand down. This is not about the ultra-racist chats of “Black Lives Matter”. ALL LIVES MATTER to include the police officer’s life. Who in the world gives these people the idea that you can be aggressive to a police officer? It makes no sense to me. I have personally been pulled over by police because of driving to fast and accusations that I failed to stop at a red light. Each time I treated the officer with respect. I have never had a problem. This police officer may well have a family of his own and he is placed into a situation where people are acting aggressive. No wonder the 19 year old got shot.
GREAT work officer. FK you ACLU!!!!
one less clown to act in the circus,good ridance!!!!
Another drug crazed thug bites the dust. Clean shooting, no doubt about it, but Sharptonge, Jackasson and the goatfcker in the white mosque will still come down on the cop.
Well done. Even if a civilian made the same shot, it is immently justified. The wacko committed suicide.
I would have.
The idiot should have pretended to ditch his pretend gun while he was fleeing. The officer was definitely justified.
Clean Shoot
Darwin award candidate to be sure.
Stupid is as stupid does….great to have a camera there to testify….great to have a cop there to justify our need to be armed….thanks for your service Officer Earomirski
Textbook clean shoot. Deceased is no loss. Well done, officer.
‘“Any reasonable officer, or citizen encountering this situation, would feel they’re facing imminent harm and or death,’ continued the Chief.’
My concern is that if a citizen had shot someone after these same threats and threatening gestures that the suspect made, would it still be justified? I’m not talking about a citizen pursuing and cornering a suspect. I mean, lets say the suspect was making these threats and gestures to a store owner, in his/her shop. Lets say they shoot him. Suspect turns out to have no weapon. Would it still be considered justified?
I’m not anti cop, nor do I have anything against this Chief. I’m with him on this. But the fact that he mentioned citizens in that statement made me cringe.
More reason to put cameras on police. It protects the police and the public by showing the truth about what really happened.
The officer did everything right. But when a kid wants to commit suicide, sometimes there is no stopping him. From the kid’s agitated movements, he was probably high on something.
Looked like 2 shots to me. Good shoot.
what do people expect these officers to do? I would have done the same thing,you cant play the game of life with the law,you will lose that game.remember you play stupid games,you win stupid prises.. the thug acted like he wanted to be shot,suicide by cop..he deserved every thing he got
Textbook case of how a police officer should act. The office traded space for time, did all he could to diffuse the issue, then stopped the suspect using the only viable tool available.
The suspect caused his own death, despite all the officer did to save his life.
I am very happy the trained police office was there to deal with this ugly situation rather than one of us citizens. This is exactly why we must have well trained police officers.
Very tragic, but very justified from what I see. I applaud the Chief for backing up what his office did. I am not pro or anti-cop….But I am definitely pro-not-being-stupid. This IDIOT was pro-stupidity all the way…..would be considered a radically pro-stupid person even. You just don’t act that way…..especially around law enforcement. I’m afraid this officer is only guilty of being the right hand of natural selection in this case. Another idiot removed from the breeding populace.
From the video he gave the suspect plenty, if not too much time and opportunity to comply with the officers orders. The suspect was able to get very close to the officer and even had a chance to pretend to pull a weapon from behind his back and start to present it to the officer ( I would say about half way there ) before the officer was forced to defend himself. I would say that if the suspect truly did have a weapon that the officer would have been cutting it to close and should have fired possibly sooner. Easy to sit hear and say that without being in the situation and having to take someone else’s life. I would not want that on my conscience even if I was in the right in defending myself.