Baltimore County Police Fatally Shoot African American Woman in Randallstown
Alison Knezevich
Contact Reporter
The Baltimore Sun
Baltimore County police said they shot and killed a woman Monday after she pointed a gun at officers and threatened to kill them during an hours-long standoff at an apartment in Randallstown.
Police identified the woman as 23-year-old Korryn Gaines. A 5-year-old boy in the home was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound but is expected to survive, police said.
It is not yet clear whether police or Gaines shot the child, according to police.
Gaines' uncle, Jermaine Barnett, said the child was Gaines' son. Police said they had not confirmed the relationship between Gaines and the child.
Authorities said they did not yet know whether any of the officers involved in the shooting were wearing body cameras. The Police Department began phasing in its body camera program last month, but only some officers have received the devices.
Police Chief Jim Johnson said that about 9:20 a.m., several warrant squad members and a uniformed officer went to the home in the first block of Sulky Court to serve arrest warrants on Gaines and a man who lived in the home.
The man in the apartment allegedly ran from the home with a 1-year-old child but was caught by officers, police said. The man's name has not been released.
Gaines was wanted for failing to appear in cases related to a March incident in which she was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and numerous traffic violations, Johnson said.
Police "repeatedly knocked on the apartment door" and heard a man's and a woman's voice, as well as a crying child, the police chief said. No one answered the door after police identified themselves.
An officer got a key from the landlord and opened the door to the apartment. Officers could see that Gaines had a long gun, and she pointed it at one of three officers, Johnson said. She was seated on the floor and had the 5-year-old in her arms.
Tactical personnel were called to the home and began an hours-long negotiation with Gaines, the police chief said.
"During that dialogue and conversation, she repeatedly pointed a long gun at the police officers," he said.
About 3 p.m., Gaines pointed the long gun at officers and told them if they didn't leave, "she was going to kill them," Johnson said.
An officer then fired once at Gaines, and she shot back several rounds, Johnson said. Police fired again, killing her. It was unclear where in the apartment the child was during the gunfire.
The names of the officers were not released, per an agreement with the county police union. The names are expected to be released later this week.
Gaines' uncle Jerome Barnett, 44, said his niece "was feisty, but she was smart and she was respectful."
"My niece is a good person; I never knew her to be a rowdy person," he said.
His twin brother, Jermaine, described Gaines as "a beautiful person, really smart, intellectual."
"I'm in a surreal state of mind right now," Jermaine Barnett said. "She was loved by everybody — I'm going to miss her and I love her."
At the scene Monday afternoon, officers drove around the area, instructing people to go back inside their homes. There were at least six police cars outside and officers in tactical gear.
Baltimore County police officers have shot two other people this year, neither fatally.
Baltimore Sun reporters Christiana Mbakwe, Maya Earls and Andrew Dunn contributed to this article.
alisonk@baltsun.com
twitter.com/aliknez
Contact Reporter
The Baltimore Sun
Baltimore County police said they shot and killed a woman Monday after she pointed a gun at officers and threatened to kill them during an hours-long standoff at an apartment in Randallstown.
Police identified the woman as 23-year-old Korryn Gaines. A 5-year-old boy in the home was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound but is expected to survive, police said.
It is not yet clear whether police or Gaines shot the child, according to police.
Gaines' uncle, Jermaine Barnett, said the child was Gaines' son. Police said they had not confirmed the relationship between Gaines and the child.
Authorities said they did not yet know whether any of the officers involved in the shooting were wearing body cameras. The Police Department began phasing in its body camera program last month, but only some officers have received the devices.
Police Chief Jim Johnson said that about 9:20 a.m., several warrant squad members and a uniformed officer went to the home in the first block of Sulky Court to serve arrest warrants on Gaines and a man who lived in the home.
The man in the apartment allegedly ran from the home with a 1-year-old child but was caught by officers, police said. The man's name has not been released.
Gaines was wanted for failing to appear in cases related to a March incident in which she was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and numerous traffic violations, Johnson said.
Police "repeatedly knocked on the apartment door" and heard a man's and a woman's voice, as well as a crying child, the police chief said. No one answered the door after police identified themselves.
An officer got a key from the landlord and opened the door to the apartment. Officers could see that Gaines had a long gun, and she pointed it at one of three officers, Johnson said. She was seated on the floor and had the 5-year-old in her arms.
Tactical personnel were called to the home and began an hours-long negotiation with Gaines, the police chief said.
"During that dialogue and conversation, she repeatedly pointed a long gun at the police officers," he said.
About 3 p.m., Gaines pointed the long gun at officers and told them if they didn't leave, "she was going to kill them," Johnson said.
An officer then fired once at Gaines, and she shot back several rounds, Johnson said. Police fired again, killing her. It was unclear where in the apartment the child was during the gunfire.
The names of the officers were not released, per an agreement with the county police union. The names are expected to be released later this week.
Gaines' uncle Jerome Barnett, 44, said his niece "was feisty, but she was smart and she was respectful."
"My niece is a good person; I never knew her to be a rowdy person," he said.
His twin brother, Jermaine, described Gaines as "a beautiful person, really smart, intellectual."
"I'm in a surreal state of mind right now," Jermaine Barnett said. "She was loved by everybody — I'm going to miss her and I love her."
At the scene Monday afternoon, officers drove around the area, instructing people to go back inside their homes. There were at least six police cars outside and officers in tactical gear.
Baltimore County police officers have shot two other people this year, neither fatally.
Baltimore Sun reporters Christiana Mbakwe, Maya Earls and Andrew Dunn contributed to this article.
alisonk@baltsun.com
twitter.com/aliknez
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