Search underway for suspect who shot at Maryland State Police Trooper during traffic stop in Baltimore

A search is underway in Maryland for a suspect who shot at a State Police trooper who was conducting a traffic stop in Baltimore Tuesday morning, department officials said. 

The trooper suffered powder burns due to the proximity of the shooting, but was not shot, according to officials. The trooper was taken to shock trauma for medical treatment. 

The incident unfolded around 3:30 a.m. as the trooper attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a gray Infinity at the intersection of Belle Avenue and Milford Avenue in Baltimore, police said. 

As the trooper approached the car on the driver’s side, the door opened slightly and shots were fired from inside, according to police. The trooper did not fire back, and the driver fled east on Belle Avenue. 

The suspect is believed to be driving a gray Infiniti with partial license plates, according to police. The suspect’s car has darkly tinted windows, damage to the front end and broken headlights. 

Baltimore Police and Baltimore County Police are working with State Police to identify the suspect, according to Mayor Brandon Scott and Police Commissioner Richard Worley. 

“This senseless act of violence against a law enforcement officer endangered both the trooper and our entire city. It will not be tolerated, and we will not rest until the person responsible is held accountable,” Scott and Worley said in a joint statement. 

“We are committed to using every available resource to help bring this individual into custody alongside our partners,” they added.

Anyone with information on the identity of the suspect is asked to call police at 410-653-4200.

This is not the first time a Maryland law enforcement officer has been injured during a traffic stop. 

In January, a Baltimore police officer was dragged by a car during a traffic stop downtown. The officer stopped a car after seeing that it had a suspended license plate tag, and after returning to the vehicle with the driver’s registration, he noticed what appeared to be a gun in the driver’s waistband.

The driver eventually fled, and the officer fired one shot, injuring the driver. He was later arrested and charged with assault and reckless endangerment.