(North East, MD) – A man claiming to be armed with a gun and throwing large rocks at passing cars and ultimately troopers who confronted him on Rt. 40 in Cecil County tonight is hospitalized in stable condition after he was shot by a state trooper during the confrontation.
The suspect is identified as Clyde S. Patterson III, 50, who is currently a voluntary resident at the Perry Point Medical Center, a Veteran’s Administration facility in Perry Point, Md. Patterson is listed in serious, but stable condition at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he is under guard by state troopers.
At 6:14 p.m. today, the Maryland State Police North East Barracks received simultaneous 9-1-1 calls from three motorists on Rt. 40 west of Red Toad Road, who all said their cars had been hit by large rocks thrown by a man on the roadside. One of the motorists stopped to confront the man and said the suspect told him he had a gun and then pulled the gun from his waistband.
Trooper First Class James L. Parker, 28, was the first to arrive on the scene where the motorists were parked. After receiving a description of the suspect, TFC Parker told his backup trooper that the suspect may be armed and directed him to check the eastbound lanes of Rt. 40.
The backup trooper, TFC Brad Pennington, stopped his patrol car near the suspect, whom he saw walking on eastbound Rt. 40, with one hand in his pocket and carrying an American flag in the other. As soon as the suspect saw the trooper, he ran to the roadside, picked up a large rock, and threw it at the trooper, but missed him and put his hand back in his pocket. The rock rolled under the patrol car.
TFC Pennington drew his weapon and ordered the suspect to show his hand and surrender. The suspect repeatedly refused, saying that was not going to happen and that he was going to meet “J.C.”
TFC Parker pulled his patrol car up on the scene with the suspect. The suspect picked up another rock and threw it at the trooper as he was getting out of his car. The rock broke the driver’s side window, but did not injure the trooper.
The suspect continued to return his free hand to his pocket. As the troopers continued to order the suspect to surrender, he continued to refuse, saying he was going to see “J.C.” and began walking up Rt. 40. By this time, responding police units had stopped traffic on both east and westbound Rt. 40.
The suspect eventually crossed the grass median. He walked toward several Cecil County Sheriff’s Office deputies and troopers who were positioned in the westbound lanes of Rt. 40.
In the interim, personnel at the North East Barracks requested a North East Police Department officer who is equipped with a less lethal weapon, a Taser, to respond to the scene. The officer did so and joined the group of backup officers on westbound Rt. 40 as the suspect walked toward them, followed by the two troopers.
The North East officer gave multiple commands to the suspect to surrender and warned him he would use his Taser. The suspect continued to refuse and kept his hand in his pocket.
Without warning, the suspect lunged toward TFC Parker. In fear for his life, TFC Parker fired one shot from his Beretta .40 caliber pistol. Simultaneously, the North East officer fired his Taser at the suspect.
Emergency care was immediately provided to the suspect, who had been struck by the gunshot in the upper torso. A Maryland State Police helicopter flew the suspect to the Shock Trauma Center.
No police officers were injured during the incident. None of the motorists whose vehicles were struck by the large rocks were injured.
Maryland State Police crime scene technicians responded and processed the scene, requiring westbound Rt. 40 to be closed for several hours. As of late tonight, the suspect’s handgun had not been found, but the search is continuing.
Investigators from the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit responded and are conducting the investigation, assisted by criminal investigators from the North East Barracks. The Maryland State Police Internal Affairs Unit is also conducting an administrative investigation into the police involved shooting, which is required by department regulations.
TFC Parker has been a member of the Maryland State Police for three and one-half years. He has been placed on routine administrative leave, which is customary when a trooper is involved in a shooting.
Upon the suspect’s release from the hospital, he will continue to be in the custody of the Maryland State Police. He will be served with pending criminal charges at that time.
