Baltimore City prosecutors have dropped charges against a man shot by police on New Year?s Eve after they determined he was probably not the gunman who started the shooting.
Slightly after midnight, three Baltimore police officers encountered celebratory gunfire coming from the 1900 block of West Lanvale Street, when they said Reginald George, 30, shot in the air and then “in the direction” of the officers, according to charging documents.
The officers fired 21 shots at George, who was standing with several other males, striking him in the stomach, authorities said. The males ran from the scene and officers detained them, finding the handgun in a nearby residence.
George was charged with first-degree assault, among other charges. Gunshot residue taken from the suspects showed two men had a significant amount of evidence on their hands while George had only a little.
Margaret Burns, spokeswoman for the Baltimore City State?s Attorney?s Office, said such evidence from the scene suggests George was not the gunman.
“After reviewing the forensic evidence, including [gunshot residue], prosecutors were not convinced that Reginald George was discharging his weapon,” said Margaret Burns,spokeswoman for the Baltimore City State?s Attorney?s Office. “The evidence showed it could have been one of several other persons on the porch that evening.”
Paul Blair, president of the Baltimore Police Officers? union, said he thought prosecutors should have pressed forward.
“Why not try the case and let the jury decide?” he asked. “If you?re going to be tough on crime, you?ve got to be tough [on] all the crime.”
Blair said no one can celebrate legally by shooting a firearm in the air on New Year?s Eve.
“If he had the gun residue on his hands, he should at least be charged with discharging the firearm within the city limits,” Blair said.
