Incident in Baltimore: Police Officer Chased a Man with a Car
A police officer in Baltimore was suspended from duty after a video spread on social media showing him attempting to hit a pedestrian with his Ford Explorer SUV in broad daylight. The footage quickly caused outrage and attracted the attention of officials.
Key Points of the Incident
Authorities’ Reaction and Investigation
The Mayor of Baltimore confirmed that an internal investigation has already been launched and called the video “deeply disturbing,” emphasizing that the city expects full transparency in the course of the case.
According to Slick Brown, who filmed the video, he and his friends were on Wiley Avenue in Park Heights when the police officer drove up to them and asked them to move away. The group complied, but soon the officer returned and seemed to target one of the men with his car.
Details of the Pursuit
The video shows the police officer talking to the men on the sidewalk, who claim he has no legal grounds to stop them. Soon, the officer gets into his car, sharply accelerates, and drives onto a small street where one of the men was walking. He drives at high speed, moves onto a grassy area, and approaches the pedestrian within a few centimeters.
The incident did not end there: when the man crossed the road, the police officer continued the pursuit, temporarily moving on the sidewalk and other streets, trying to catch up with him. Then the officer drives through another alley, breaks through a fence, and again attempts to hit the man.
@1grandssxnn Smh watch this Shxt #FUCKBALTIMOREPOLICE ♬ original sound – 1grandsxnn_
Witness Testimony
Brown told WBAL-TV 11: “At first, he drove up and told us to move away, so we left. Then he drove up to my friend again and told him to come over for no reason. My friend refused and kept walking. When he went through the alley, the police officer got back in the car and started chasing him.”
Identification and Official Statements
The police officer was identified as Robert Parks. After the incident, it was revealed that the officer was attempting to detain the man for failure to appear in court for driving without a license.
Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley stated: “What is visible in this video is not only disturbing but also causes concern. This is not how we expect our officers to behave, and this incident does not reflect the values or standards of the Baltimore Police. Our department continues to work hard to restore trust and change the image of our department and our city. We remain committed to holding officers accountable for their actions and continuing to work on rebuilding trust with our community.”
Baltimore City Attorney Ivan Bates confirmed that the Office of Public Trust and Police Integrity immediately launched an investigation into this case.
This case is another example of problems in the relationship between law enforcement and the community, requiring not only internal investigations but also systemic changes in approaches to police training and their interaction with residents. Such incidents can have serious consequences for trust in law enforcement, especially in regions where there are historically tense relations between the police and the population.