Korryn Gaines, 23, of Baltimore, Maryland has become the ninth black woman to be shot by police this year, according to the Washington Post.
On Monday, August 1, three police officers arrived at Gaines apartment home to:
“…serve warrants to her as well as a man who also resided there.”
The man, whose name has not been released, was wanted on assault charges. Also as reported by the Washington Post, Gaines:
“…had an arrest warrant for failing to appear in court after a traffic violation in March.”
Upon arrival, police knocked on the door for 10 minutes, but residents inside refused to open the door.
Korryn Gaines is the ninth black woman shot and killed by police in the U.S. this year: https://t.co/zZtcDyAtAW pic.twitter.com/yiZM07Vjlq
— Slate (@Slate) August 3, 2016
After obtaining a key, police officials made their way into the home and discovered Gaines sitting on the floor with her 5-year-old son, Kodi, in her arms.
An hours-long standoff ensued at approximately 9:20 a.m. and ended in the deadly shooting.
Gaines reportedly stood up with her son in one arm and a shotgun, which she purchased last year, in the other and pointed it at officers. Reports say that Gaines:
“…told them that she would kill them if they did not leave.”
In regards to the threat, Police Chief Jim Johnson said during a news conference later that night:
“Perceiving not only her actions, but the words she used, we discharged one round at her, in turn she fired several rounds back at us. We fired again at her, striking and killing her. Tragically in this circumstance, the child that was also in the dwelling was struck by a round.”
It was not immediately clear how many times Gaines was shot or the location, but police confirmed that she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Her son was transferred to the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
After the Baltimore woman was fatally shot by police, a police spokeswoman – Elise Armacost – said at a press conference that:
“We are of course extremely upset at an event like this.”
“We do not like to be in a position of having to use lethal force, but this was a situation where our officers exercised patience for hours and hours.”
“We are very relieved the child was not seriously injured.”
Officers involved in the shooting were placed on administrative leave while an investigation ensues.
Featured image via Facebook.
