‘Deeply concerning’: Baltimore officer suspended after nearly hitting Black man with patrol car in viral video

An internal investigation has been launched after a white officer was seen nearly running over a Black pedestrian.

A Baltimore City police officer is on suspension after a viral video showed him erratically driving his cruiser and nearly running over a Black man.

“The contents of the video are deeply concerning,” Baltimore 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.”    

The video in question shows the unidentified white officer aggressively driving his patrol vehicle off the street and onto an alley and grassy field in a vacant lot in the Park Heights neighborhood of West Baltimore, which is 95% Black. It is not yet clear what led up to the incident, or if the man who dodged the police cruiser suffered any injuries.

Before the violent chase, the man who recorded the video told the officer, “What’s your reason to stop him? You don’t even have no reason to stop him.”

When the man who was chased walks away and up the alley, the officer drives the vehicle at high velocity toward him.

Baltimore Police Department Police Commissioner Richard Worley said that an internal investigation has been launched, saying in a statement, “What is seen in this video is not only disturbing, but 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,” he added. “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.”

The Baltimore Police Department has a long history of police brutality and racial discrimination, which has resulted in widespread protests and a federal investigation. The department has gone through reforms to improve its police force after the high-profile death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old Black man who died in police custody after suffering serious injuries while handcuffed in the back of a police van without a seatbelt.

An investigation led by President Barack Obama’s Department of Justice concluded that the Baltimore Police Department had a pattern of unconstitutional and discriminatory policing. Officers were reportedly told to arrest “all the Black hoodies,” according to a DOJ report.

The investigation resulted in a court-enforceable consent decree aimed at comprehensive reform.

“Better training is needed if the Department wants to teach officers effective community policing practices, and this training needs to be
provided and tailored to personnel throughout all levels of the Department,” read the report.