(Salisbury, MD) – An armed suspect was fatally wounded after he ignored police commands and approached police officers who had responded to a burglary in progress call in Salisbury late last night.
The suspect is identified as Charles A. Williams, 34, of the 27000-block of Log Cabin Road, Salisbury, Md. He was pronounced dead at the Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury.
The preliminary investigation by the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit indicates that shortly before midnight on April 20, 2009, officers from the Salisbury Police Department were dispatched to a single-family home in the 700-block of South Park Drive, Salisbury, for the report of a burglary in progress. The 9-1-1 call, transferred to the Salisbury Police Department, was received from a woman who reported she had been asleep and alone in her house when she heard a noise downstairs. When she went down to investigate, she was confronted by a man in her kitchen.
The victim ran back upstairs to call 9-1-1 and remained there until after police arrived and the situation was over. The victim was not physically harmed during the incident. She is not being identified at this time.
Within two minutes of the 9-1-1 call, three uniformed officers from the Salisbury Police Department arrived at the residence in marked police patrol cars. The three officers confronted Williams in front of the residence and immediately saw he was armed with a 13-inch butcher knife with an eight inch blade.
The officers repeatedly ordered Williams to drop the knife, but he refused to do so. Still armed with the knife, Williams moved toward the officers in a threatening manner. In fear for their lives, the three officers fired their issued .45 caliber Glock pistols at Williams. A fourth uniformed officer who arrived, disarmed Williams and secured the butcher knife.
Police called for an ambulance and provided emergency care to Williams. He was transported by ambulance to the Peninsula Regional Medical Center. His body will be transported to the Office of the State Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy.
The scene was processed by technicians from the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division. Evidence indicates Williams gained access to the home by breaking a window in the residence.
Salisbury Police Chief Allan J. Webster Sr. responded to the scene, as did a member of the Wicomico County State’s Attorney’s Office. Chief Webster contacted the Maryland State Police and requested the police involved shooting be investigated by the Homicide Unit. The Homicide Unit investigates police involved shootings for the Maryland State Police and allied police departments that request their assistance. Members of the Wicomico Bureau of Investigation are assisting the Homicide Unit with the investigation.
Chief Webster has placed the three police officers on administrative duty, which is routine, pending the outcome of the investigation. He is not releasing the names of the officers involved in the shooting at this time.
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44 comments:
All the more reason to arm yourself. This moron would not have been shot by police in my house because I would have done it for them. This guy got just what he deserved. Great shoot by the three officers involved. I hope the woman involved will be ok as she deals with the events of that night.
Why aren't they issued Tazers?
Wow,Webster showed up. What a shocker! Oh, that's right he was already in town so no need to make the special trip.
A quick response to a crime in progress and the police did what they had to do when facing a suspect advancing on them with a weapon. Good job SPD ! Now we will probably have to listen to some bleeding heart liberals and /or the local ACLU crying about the deceased's rights being threatened or " excessive force " on the part of the police. Support our local police; they did their job well in this situation.
WOW! Score one for the victims and chalk one up for the good guys. I am sorry to see three officers put on administrative leave, it just about wipes out a shift. Get them back on duty ASAP. The MSM is not reporting all of the break-ins in Salisbury and Wicomico County. There have been a lot. I’m glad to see someone finally pay the price for their lawlessness. I thank God that the officers were not hurt.
He got what he deserved however if you count the three officers that were escorted out of the SPD not long ago, and taking these three off the streets means we are six officers down on the street.
In the late 80's we had more officers on the street and they had a lot less territory to cover.
Great Job Guys! Awesome work, the way it should be sad thing is the family will find some lawyer and it will go to litigation, but you were right in what you did guys....
Why aren't they issued Tazers?
8:45 AM
Tazers are used as a tool to get someone to comply with a comand. If someone is stupid enough to come at the officers with a knife, a tazer will do no good. The level of force used must be justified by the threat facing them. In this case they had no choice to shoot.
Great Job Guys! Awesome work, the way it should be sad thing is the family will find some lawyer and it will go to litigation, but you were right in what you did guys....
9:02 AM
No lawyer will toucen the facts of the case are made public. This guy signed his own death warrant when he broke into the house and then threatened the Police. Good shoot!!
I would expect the same to happen if someone who did not belong in my house. I went through an incident where someone broke into my house during the day and they were found "not guilty"! The law seems to back the "bad guys" so who knows where this one will go. Great job SPD!!!!! The guy with the butcher knife got what he deserved.
I'm sure the case would have been nol prossed or charges dropped if he had been arrested. If a felon won't stop for three armed police officers, what chance do the rest of us have against him?
How can we learn about all of the break ins mentioned in one of the posts?
God bless our police officers!
Hmmmmm...why would anyone, including a burglar advance on 3 police officers armed with handguns while only armed with a knife. Something stinks.
Good work SPD! Since February: That is 4 resignations, 3 suspended, 3 on administrative leave, and 2 out on injuries. How can they fill 8 new federal positions when they cant keep the ones they have. I am surprised they had officers to even respond to this call with these types of staffing problems (the same staffing problems they have had the past 9 years).
Ann 9:14 yeah and its the bad guys dead body that stinks, the same one who had broken into a lone woman's home in the middle of the night with a large knife!
Great job SPD officers. Don't worry about the nay-sayers you did your job and we citizens are standing behind you
And Brian Beaver retired, we are way down on officers, maybe that's why Salisbury is attracting a lot of these street thugs. They control their area, they have look out's on cell phones and are hard to catch. Those areas need boots on the ground, patrols won't work in this high tech age.
Short twelve officer? Oui Va
She should have called Robinsons Clocks He,s got glocks with old bullets,they disinagrate on impact according to John B S master of the hand gun
How many open positions are there at SPD? I want to fill one of them. Does anyone know the answer?
TAZERS????? Man why would you even second guess these police officers in what they did. So many factors come into play when utilizing differant stages of the use of force module. Tazers may have been effective if they were outside and had routes of escape and time to react. Who knows one must take the totality of the circumstances. Man with a knife = Deadly force. The chance of those officers or someone else being seriously injured or dead was very high. Deadly Force AUTHORIZED> IMHO GOOD JOB SPD, Hope you all get to work SOON!!! HMMMMMM bet if that was the house of the TAZER guy and his wife being assaulted he/she would not even have raised the ignorant question!!!
Maybe somebody can explain why substations would stop events like this. I don't think so.
Anon 9:43: They were outside. Read the article before you comment, moron.
Anon 9:31: "Oui Va"? What? Really? Is that your attempt at 'oy vey'? Nice try at Yiddish, pal, but your comment is actually French and loosely translates to 'Yes, Go!'
9:50 They wouldn't. Salisbury Police Department doesn't have the manpower to staff substations. Substations are only effective when there is someone in them. Simply providing a place for officers to stop in to write reports, make phone calls, and then get back on patrol is a hit or miss propositon and really provides no benefit to the community it's in. The purpose of a substation is to provide residents living in a specific crime riddled area a resource in which these citizens can easily contact representatives of the police department and establish a rapport with them. Both the officers and the citizens can then learn of ongoing crime and the individuals responsible for that crime. The confidence between the police and the citizens, and the exchange of information between the two, is critical for the reduction of crime. Simply having a store front or empty apartment where a beat officer can stop in for 20 minutes for a bathroom break or to write a report or two may be a convenience for the officer, but it would be ineffective as a legitimate substation.
And he responded from Crisfield, Seacrets or the Market Street Inn?
The department heads need to live in the city limits.
Congratulations SPD. I think this is a new beginning for Salisbury all the way around. New Mayor and the SPD are getting into the action. The officers did an outstanding job and we are all proud of you. It is not an easy decision to make to shoot someone. Remember they are trained to make a split decision and they are to protect themselves.
If the burgler was going to riase his knife to them what would he have done to that lady? I would not be surprised to find out he was on some kind of drug.
Bless you all.
I believe that the number one priority of any police officer is to make it home to his or her loved ones at the end of the shift. Thats priority one.
This seems like a responsible action, if not for the fact that the Salsibury and Wicomico Police have a history of chronic and classic over reaction. Of course, no one will know until an investigationn is done. IT is a shame on both ends since i doubt the shooters wanted to take a life.
If a man puts a knife in your face buddy you put him DOWN.
I say kill all the criminals and let God sort them out! I would love to know how many shots they fired at this moron?
Good job S.P.D. one less idiot in Salisbury.
Is it true that they shot him 35 times?
Ok they were outside....were there any obstructions, backs against the wall....who really cares. Someone can kill you with in 21 feet with a knife before you can draw your gun and get an accurate shot off. MORON
you never commented on what your stance would be if that was you or your wife's home that the POS broke into....
Ladies and Gentleman, I am a local Law Enforcement Officer here in Wicomico County. I know each of these officers that are involved. I hope I never have to take a life, and I know they never wanted too either. They are outstanding officers, and they are great people on duty and off duty. I just want them to know that the Law Enforcement Community is behind you, as well as the majority of citizens of Salisbury and Wicomico County. If you three need anyone to talk to about this incident, there are other officers, deputies, and troopers here locally that have had to take similar action that you were unfortunately placed in. Take your time in getting back to work, and never doubt yourself. You three should be commended on a job well done. But, l am certainly glad you have not forgotten that you need to go home every night to your family and loved ones. God Speed
Priority one.
Anon 1:39
WELL SAID!!!!!!!!
9:16,,,,, forgot the one they fired in Jan. Thats 13 officers off the streets in Salisbury right now.
How many open positions are there at SPD? I want to fill one of them. Does anyone know the answer?
Ummmm...Tazers?
If theres a strange dude in my house with a knife who intends to rob me,rape me and/or cut me into pieces I do not want to shock him,I want to STOP him.
I hate to defend the police but please do not make snap judgements against the officers until there is more information.
We recently moved to Salisbury from Baltimore. I could not believe how dark the streets and homes are at night. Better lighting and a good dog will help secure your home from thiefs.
A person who is high, deranged or plain determined can take 3 or more tazer hits before they go down. This dude had a knife and seemed to be determined. I am glad that the Police made the right desion.
I am also a law enforcement officer. I knoww all of the officers involved, so my comments may be a little biased. They did not want to shoot and kill the man. They wanted to stop and arrest the man. When faced with the decision of shooting or being hurt or killed, the decision is made easier to shoot. I have never had to shoot my weapon in defense of self or others and pray I never do. I hope that that the officers involved get the counseling they will surely need. Beyond all that said, I support your decision to shoot and all the liberal bleeding hearts need to think if it was their house being broke into.
Blutojthetotmom--What do you mean when you say "I hate to defend the police..." ? Thank God we have police officers( city, county, state,etc. that are willing to defend us. I'm glad those officers and the lady whose home was broken into are all safe. As for the late Mr. Williams, he made the choice to break the law and paid the price.
I am usually a police critic but not with something like this-I think in this situation they did the only thing they could do,given the circumstances.They only had seconds to make a decision and its premature to judge them.
I too am glad that no officers were injured and am glad another nut is off of the street. However the number of shots fired are questionable and I bet it winds up in a court of law for excessive force. Some greedy lawyer will see to that.
People shoot squirels jumping from tree to tree with a .22
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