UPDATE: TROOPER INVOLVED SHOOTING FATALLY WOUNDS CARROLL CO. WOMAN

(HAMPSTEAD, MD) – A Carroll County woman armed with a handgun who was threatening suicide was fatally wounded by a Maryland state trooper last night after she refused repeated orders to surrender and repeatedly pointed the loaded gun at him.

The deceased woman is identified as Satina D. White, 40, who was living with her sister and her sister’s teenaged daughter in the 4600-block of Upper Beckleysville Road, Hampstead, Md. White was pronounced dead last night at the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center.

The trooper involved in the shooting is identified as Trooper John Warchal, a road patrol trooper assigned to the Westminster Barrack. Trooper Warchal is a three-year-veteran of the Maryland State Police.

White’s sister called 911 shortly before 6:00 p.m. yesterday and requested police respond for a domestic situation involving White, whom she said had been drinking and was threatening suicide. The caller said she did not feel safe with White in her home.

While troopers were en route to the scene, a second call was received informing troopers White had armed herself with a handgun and was threatening suicide. Her sister told the barrack police communications operator that White said she was going to commit suicide when the police arrived. In fear for their safety, the sister and her teenaged daughter locked themselves in an upstairs bathroom and waited for police to arrive.

Two troopers, a Hampstead Police officer and a Carroll County deputy sheriff arrived at the two-story home at about 6:00 p.m. The preliminary investigation indicates White first appeared at an upstairs window which she knocked the screen out of and then went to a downstairs window that was open and had no screen in it. White repeatedly pointed the handgun at the police officers, who continued to tell her to put it down. Neighbors in the area told investigators they heard repeated police commands to drop the weapon.

White refused repeated commands to drop the weapon and continued to repeatedly point the gun at the trooper. In fear for his life, Trooper Warchal fired his Department-issued .40 caliber pistol, wounding White.

Emergency care was immediately provided and EMS units were summoned to the scene. White was flown by Maryland State Police medevac helicopter to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center where she was pronounced dead.

No law enforcement officers were injured. Trooper Warchal was the only police officer on the scene who fired his weapon.

Police went through the home and found White’s sister and her daughter locked in the upstairs bathroom. They were unharmed.

White’s sister told investigators White had been drinking alcoholic beverages Sunday evening and again on Monday. She said she and her sister had argued Sunday evening and again late Monday afternoon. She said she had told her sister she would have to leave her residence and could no longer live there.

Investigators believe White obtained the .45 caliber pistol from a pickup truck parked in the driveway of the home. The truck belongs to the boyfriend of White’s sister. He was not at the scene at the time of the incident. Police believe the gun belonged to him. Investigators will follow up to verify information about the handgun. When police searched the truck, they found several loaded magazines and ammunition for a .45 caliber handgun in the console area.

Members of the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit, Westminster Barrack Criminal Investigation Section, Internal Affairs Unit, and crime scene technicians from the State Police Forensic Sciences Division responded to the scene to conduct investigations. The scene was searched and processed after investigators obtained a search warrant.

Trooper Warchal has been placed on administrative leave. This is routine while the investigation into the police-involved shooting continues.