Baltimore City police are removing one homicide from the books in 2023 because a shooting in Northeast Baltimore has been determined to be justified.
The ruling surrounds a shooting that happened in early February. 42-year-old Joseph Garrison was shot in the 3900 block of Ridgecroft Road.
According to police, Garrison was attempting to rob a 24-year-old man on the evening of February 7. The robbery victim pulled out his licensed handgun and shot Garrison in self-defense, according to police.
Garrison was pronounced dead at Hopkins Bayview. The shooter has not been identified. Police said he remained at the scene after the shooting.
According to Baltimore Police, Garrison was armed with a handgun at the time of the attempted robbery.
Court records show Garrison has several convictions, including burglary, which would prevent him from legally owning a gun.
In Annapolis, lawmakers are considering a bill that would prevent people from carrying a gun within 100 feet of public places. Those areas include places like movie theaters and restaurants.
Law enforcement analyst Mark Powell says that Senate Bill One, would turn potential victims into suspects, if passed.
“If the person defended themselves legally, but in the course of defending themselves they committed a crime, they very well could likely find themselves arrested for carrying a firearm within a hundred feet of a building," said Powell.
A violation of Senate Bill one, could result in jail time of up to a year and fines.
The 3900 block of Ridgecroft Road is a street lined with single-family homes on both sides of the street.