Baltimore, Maryland – On June 17, a deadly confrontation between officers and Bilal Yusuf-Muhammad Abdullah Jr. escalated into a fatal officer-involved shooting. The incident, which captured on bodycam footage, began when officers spotted a man they believed to be armed and attempted to engage him. During the confrontation, Abdullah allegedly shot an, officer in the foot, prompting three officers to return fire. The suspect was pronounced dead at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center at 11:14 p.m. following a gunshot wound. The injured officer, an eight-year veteran, underwent surgery and was in fair condition the following day. The shooting, which occurred near the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Laurens Streets in West Baltimore, is under investigation by the Baltimore Police Department’s Special Investigative Response Team, Homicide Section, and Maryland’s Office of the Attorney General. Bodycam footage revealed the chaotic sequence of events, including the officers’ attempts to de-escalate the situation and the crowd’s delayed response to the shooting.
Authorities reported that the initial engagement began with officers patrolling the area observing a man they believed to be armed. The confrontation started from an unmarked cruiser, where officers attempted to speak with Abdullah. When one officer exited the vehicle to approach on foot, Abdullah began to walk away, shifting a crossbody bag to the front of his body and fleeing. A second officer exited the cruiser to assist, while a third officer, stationed in a nearby marked patrol vehicle, responded. As officers closed in on Abdullah, he allegedly pointed a handgun and fired, striking an officer in the foot. ‘Cease fire, cease fire,’ an officer is heard yelling in the footage. In response, three officers returned fire, striking Abdullah.
Both the injured officer and Abdullah were transported to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center following the incident. At 11:14 p.m., Abdullah was pronounced dead. The injured officer, an eight-year veteran of the department, underwent surgery and was listed in fair condition the following afternoon. A gun was recovered and secured by police.
Bodycam footage captured a crowd gathering after the shooting. Authorities noted that the crowd delayed their ability to provide immediate aid. Once the scene was stabilized, officers rendered emergency medical assistance until paramedics arrived.
The shooting is under joint investigation by the Baltimore Police Department’s Special Investigative Response Team (SIRT), the Homicide Section and the Maryland Office of the Attorney General. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Baltimore Police Department for comment.