Trooper fatally shoots man who called crisis hotline threatening suicide

KILLED BY A STATE TROOPER. LIBERTY ROAD AT ROUTE 32 IS A BUSY STRETCH OF ELDERBERRY, BUT OVERNIGHT OVER THE WEEKEND IT WAS SHUT DOWN. 32 IS BLOCKED AT LIBERTY ROAD. THERE ARE A NUMBER OF FIRE AND ENGINES OUT HERE STATIONED OUT IN THE PARKING LOT AS EMERGENCY RESPONDERS MOVED IN ON A BUILDING IN THE 1200 BLOCK OF LIBERTY ROAD AND A BARRICADE WAS DECLARED. WE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE THERE FOR. WE THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS SOMETHING DOMESTIC THING OR SOMETHING. BUT THE SITUATION HERE IS NOW UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE MARYLAND AG’S OFFICE AFTER AN APPARENTLY ARMED AND SUICIDAL MAN WHO LIVED IN THE BUILDING WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY A STATE POLICE TROOPER, ACCORDING TO A PRESS RELEASE. IT HAPPENED DURING A BARRICADE SITUATION THAT INCLUDED THE STATE POLICE SWAT TEAM AND CRISIS NEGOTIATORS USING A PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM AND THERE’S BODY WORN CAMERA FOOTAGE THAT SHOWS THE MAN CAME TO THE FRONT DOOR WITH THE DARK OBJECT IN HIS HAND, WHICH HE POINTED TOWARD TROOPERS. ONE TROOPER DISCHARGED THEIR FIREARM, STRIKING THE MAN. THE MAN WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL WHERE HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD. RESIDENTS NEARBY TELL 11 NEWS WHAT THEY HEARD. I DID HEAR THE MEDEVAC FLY RIGHT OVER OUR HOUSE. ABOUT 100FT OVER OUR HOUSE TO LAND UP AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF IT HAPPENING RIGHT HERE THAT YOU WERE SO CLOSE? I THINK IT’S TERRIBLE WHAT HAPPENED. THE GENTLEMAN WHO LOST HIS LIFE AND HE WAS LOOKING FOR THE HELP, BUT HE JUST WASN’T GETTING WHAT HE NEEDED. AND IT’S TRAGIC WHAT HAPPENED. THE DETAILS RELEASED SO FAR HAVE COME AS A SHOCK TO ONE TENANT OF THE APARTMENT BUILDING THAT WE TALKED TO TODAY. HE SAID HE WAS HOME AT THE TIME AND TOLD US HE HAD JUST SEEN THAT MAN EARLIER IN THE EVENING AND NOTHING SEEMED AMISS. HE SAID THE MAN SEEMED JUST LIKE HE USUALLY DOES, KIND AND NICE. HE SAID HE WAS SOMEONE WHO WAS ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP OUT ANOTHER NEIGHBOR IN ELDER’S BURG. TONIGHT, I’

A man who called a crisis hotline threatening suicide was fatally shot by a state trooper.According to officials, Maryland State Police troopers were called around 9 p.m. Saturday to a house in the 1200 block of Liberty Road in Eldersburg for a report of a suicidal man. Troopers received information that the man who called had a gun and was under the influence of a substance.Police said troopers tried to make contact with the man, a barricade was declared and SWAT members and crisis negotiators were called. The barricade lasted until Sunday morning with police using a speaker to talk to the man. Officials said body-worn camera video shows the man coming to the front door with a dark object in his hand and pointing it at troopers around 7 a.m. Sunday. One trooper shot the man, who was then taken to a hospital, where he died. Police said a gun was recovered at the scene. The Independent Investigations Division of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General will investigate and release more information in the coming days. The IID on Tuesday identified the man as Jack Cimino Jr., 52, of Sykesville.The trooper was identified as Sgt. Jesse Hartsock, a 15-year veteran assigned to the Field Operations Bureau.No troopers were injured, and the case remains under investigation.

ELDERSBURG, Md. —

A man who called a crisis hotline threatening suicide was fatally shot by a state trooper.

According to officials, Maryland State Police troopers were called around 9 p.m. Saturday to a house in the 1200 block of Liberty Road in Eldersburg for a report of a suicidal man. Troopers received information that the man who called had a gun and was under the influence of a substance.

Police said troopers tried to make contact with the man, a barricade was declared and SWAT members and crisis negotiators were called. The barricade lasted until Sunday morning with police using a speaker to talk to the man.

Officials said body-worn camera video shows the man coming to the front door with a dark object in his hand and pointing it at troopers around 7 a.m. Sunday. One trooper shot the man, who was then taken to a hospital, where he died. Police said a gun was recovered at the scene.

The Independent Investigations Division of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General will investigate and release more information in the coming days. The IID on Tuesday identified the man as Jack Cimino Jr., 52, of Sykesville.

The trooper was identified as Sgt. Jesse Hartsock, a 15-year veteran assigned to the Field Operations Bureau.

No troopers were injured, and the case remains under investigation.

Trooper fatally shoots man who called crisis hotline threatening suicide

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