Maryland attorney general identifies officers in Baltimore fatal police shooting investigation
The Maryland Office of the Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division has identified the man who died and six Baltimore Police Department officers involved in a fatal police-involved shooting in Baltimore on Sunday, July 5.
The division identified the decedent as Maurice Daniels, 42, of Millersville, Maryland. The state investigation into the circumstances of the shooting remains active.
The identification is a procedural update in the state’s review of the fatal encounter, not a conclusion about the actions of any officer or about the circumstances that led to the shooting.
Officers named by state investigators
The division identified the involved officers as Charles Blackman, David Weldon, Kevin Rivera, Antonio Groomes, Darrius Hicklin and Al-Shakier Drake.
All six were assigned to the Baltimore Police Department’s Operations Bureau, according to the attorney general’s office.
The attorney general’s office published the identification release on July 7, two days after the shooting. Its announcement confirms that six Baltimore officers were involved, but it does not describe each officer’s individual actions during the incident.
Investigation has not reached a final finding
The Independent Investigations Division is continuing its investigation. The release does not provide a final account of what led to the confrontation, and it does not identify the precise location of the shooting within Baltimore.
It also does not state whether criminal charges or police disciplinary action are being considered. Those omissions mean the public identification of Daniels and the officers should not be read as a finding that the shooting was lawful, unlawful, justified or criminal.
The matter remains at the investigative stage. The attorney general’s release does not announce a charging decision, a disciplinary finding or a final determination of responsibility.
Video release is the next known public step
Body-worn-camera footage recorded the incident, according to the attorney general’s office. The division said it generally releases body-camera and dash-camera footage within 20 business days after an incident.
That timeframe is a general practice rather than a guaranteed deadline. The agency said exceptions and extensions may apply, so the July 5 incident date does not establish a definite public-release date for footage from this case.
The expected handling of recorded video is the next known public-facing part of the state review. For now, the available official information establishes the identities of the person who died and the six officers involved, while the Independent Investigations Division continues to examine the shooting.
Sources
- Decedent and Officers Identified in Fatal Police-Involved Shooting in the City of Baltimore, Maryland Office of the Attorney General
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