Byker
2018-01-19 03:24:38 UTC
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Baltimore police search for 2 robbers after shootout
Officials offer $24,000 reward for information
Theo Hayes
Anchor/Reporter
Jan 17, 2018
Baltimore City police are searching for two robbers involved in a shootout
with officers early Tuesday morning.
Around 1:15 a.m., CitiWatch camera monitors spotted two men robbing the
7-Eleven store on North Charles and East Saratoga streets, police said.
Officers were dispatched to the area and arrived within a minute, police
said. One of the officers confronted the men as they tried to get out
through the front door.
A hostage and barricade situation developed, and two clerks inside the store
were unharmed.
The two robbers fired in and out of the store, and officers returned fire.
The officers were not injured. Officials said they don't know if the
robbers, who ran off in different directions, were injured.
Police said they are checking hospitals in the area for any recent patients
with gunshot wounds.
"This is a situation that is absolutely disturbing," Baltimore police media
relations Chief T.J. Smith said. "They didn't hesitate to pull a gun out and
pull the trigger on uniformed Baltimore City police officers they knew were
going to be confronting them."
Both robbers are described as armed black men, police said. One was tall and
was wearing a mask and dark coat, police said. The other was shorter and was
wearing all-black clothing and a white scarf tied around his face, police
said.
Police released CitiWatch, store surveillance and police body-worn camera
video.
"If you look at this video and the way they handled themselves during this
robbery, it certainly isn't their first time at the rodeo. This is something
that they have probably done before. And they probably have gotten out of
jail for it before. These don't look like inexperienced criminals. They look
like hardened criminals. They look like people who wouldn't care if they
killed someone last night. Fortunately, they didn't kill anyone last night,"
Smith said.
Baltimore police, the FBI Baltimore office, the ATF Baltimore office and
Metro Crime Stoppers are offering a reward of up to $24,000 for information.
Call Baltimore police at 410-366-6341, FBI at 410-265-8080 or Crime Stoppers
at 866-7-LOCKUP.
One of the officers who fired their weapons is a three-year veteran, another
is a four-year veteran and the third is a three-and-a-half year veteran. All
are assigned to the Central District.
The same store has been robbed three times in 2017. The store remained
closed Tuesday afternoon as workers cleaned up and repaired the damage.
Customers, including Joe Foster, are surprised by what happened.
"I think it's crazy," Foster said. "That's crazy. I'm from Philadelphia.
It's pretty bad there, but I never heard anything like this. Over what,
$200? That's a shame. I usually buy stuff in here. They are nice people."
Kenneth Johnson called the robbery and shootout a shame, saying, "People
just don't care and, you know, it's all over the city."
Concerns were raised by those who live in the area.
"The world is out of control right now. It is, so you have to be careful
everywhere you go, looking over your shoulder," said resident Carla Burrell.
http://www.wbaltv.com/article/baltimore-police-search-for-robbery-suspects-after-shootout/15170260