Maryland gunman’s capture ends manhunt with 2 officers shot

FALLSTON, Md. >> A Maryland man was taken into custody early at the moment, ending a 39-hour manhunt throughout which he wounded two Baltimore County cops in separate shootings and holed up in a wooded space behind a suburban buying heart, authorities mentioned.

David Linthicum, 24, was already on the run when he shot the second officer, a detective, and stole his department-issued car Thursday night time, police mentioned.

Officers finally stopped Linthicum about 20 miles away utilizing spike strips. From there, Linthicum fled into the woods however was surrounded by officers from a number of regulation enforcement businesses, with a helicopter illuminating the scene from above. Eight hours later and with out additional harm, that they had him in handcuffs, authorities mentioned.

The ordeal started when police responded to a name about an individual in misery at Linthicum’s Baltimore County house Wednesday afternoon. Whereas officers had been interacting with him, he fired a number of rounds and fled the scene, police mentioned. One officer was hit, hospitalized for remedy and launched that night time.

In the meantime, federal and state regulation enforcement joined the manhunt that may proceed all through the next day and night time as Linthicum evaded seize.

Round 9:20 p.m. Thursday, authorities warned residents to shelter in place within the space surrounding Linthicum’s house, saying he had been noticed close by.

In an replace this afternoon, officers with the Baltimore County Police Division mentioned the detective, who was patrolling the world in reference to the manhunt, noticed Linthicum strolling alongside a highway close to his home.

When the detective tried to interact, Linthicum allegedly raised a rifle and pulled the set off, putting the officer a number of occasions, earlier than driving away within the unmarked black pickup truck.

Interim Baltimore County Police Chief Dennis Delp mentioned early at the moment that the detective, who had been carrying a ballistic vest, was in secure situation.

“He’s going to want a big quantity of reconstruction,” mentioned Dr. Thomas Scalea, doctor in chief on the College of Maryland Medical System’s Shock Trauma Middle, who advised reporters outdoors the hospital Thursday night time that the detective was on life-support with a number of gunshot wounds to the torso. “He’ll be with us for some time.”

As soon as Linthicum was surrounded within the woods, officers used a number of “much less deadly” ways to encourage him to give up, together with flash bangs. He tried to cover in a rocky space, however officers used a helicopter and drones to find him earlier than he was lastly captured at round 5:45 a.m. at the moment, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler mentioned.

“Ultimately it culminated in our personnel going hands-on with him and bodily, after some resistance, having the ability to place him into custody,” Gahler mentioned.

Linthicum “sustained no accidents on account of his arrest,” however he was despatched for a medical assessment “out of an abundance of warning,” the sheriff mentioned.

He was later transferred into Baltimore County Police custody, officers introduced this afternoon.

“Our group is safer with this particular person in custody the place he belongs,” Gahler added at a information convention.

Gahler mentioned police discovered a firearm within the recovered car and Linthicum had ammunition on him when he was arrested. The world was being searched in case he dropped one other firearm within the woods.

Harford County faculties within the Fallston space had been closed at the moment. Some Baltimore County faculties had been additionally closed Thursday whereas the manhunt was underway.

Courtroom information present Linthicum pleaded responsible to drug possession with intent to distribute in 2019 and obtained probation earlier than judgment. Officers mentioned there was no instant indication medication had been concerned in these newest crimes.

When reached by cellphone this morning, a member of the family of Linthicum declined to remark and rapidly hung up.