Group calling for independent review of deadly officer involved shooting

The Baltimore County Justice Coalition is calling for changes to the Baltimore County Police Departments use of force procedures and a private investigation into the officer involved shooting of Eric Sopp.

CALLING FOR CHANGES TO THEBALTIMORE COUNTY POLICEDEPARTMENTS USE OF FORCEPROCEDURES.

THEY ARE CITINGTHE RECENTLY RELEASED FOOTAGEOF A MENTALLY UNSTABLE MANBEING SHOT ON 83, ALONG WITHOTHER RECENT CASES.

WMA━NEWS' EDDIE KADHIM IS LIVE ATBALTIMORE COUNTY POLICETONIGHT.

EDDIE WHAT DO THWANT DONE?THEY ARE CALLING FOR A REVIEWOF POLICE INTERACTIONS WITHPEOPLE EXPERIENCE MENTALHEALTH CRISIS.

AND ALSO ASKINGFOR AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW OFTHE OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTINGOF ERIC SOPP.11:0━11:22“Police Departmentlet me see your hands.

Let mesee your hands.

Put your handson the dash.

Put your hands onthe dash” THIS IS THE STARTOF BODY WORN CAMERA FOOTAGEBALTIMORE COUNTY POLICERELEASED OF A DEADLY OFFICERINVOLVED SHOOTING.

THEBALTIMORE COUNTY JUSICECOALITION SAYS OFFICER COULDHAVE DONE MORE TO STOP ERICSOPP WITHOUT KILLING HIM.

TreMurphy ACLU of Maryland17:48:0━17:48:11“Theofficers who got out of theirpolice vehicles to apprehendMr. Sopp started a place ofheightened excessiveaggression” BEFORE THE STOP,REFUSAL TO LISTEN TO POLICEORDERS, AND THE EVENTUALSHOOTING.

ERIC SOPP'S MOTHERCALLED ━━1 AND TOLDDISPATCHERS SHE FEARED HER SONWAS SUICIDAL AND THAT HE JUSTDROVE AWAY FROM THE HOUSE.2:2━2:29“He picked up a logand was looking for a knife.Threatening and putting a icepick to his neck and stufflike that” SHE GAVE HISVEHICLE INFORMATION, WHERE HEMAY BE HEADED, AND TOLDSPOLICE SHE WAS WORRIED HEWOULD DRINK HIMSELF TO DEATHOR OVERDOSE ON DRUGS.

ANOFFICER SPOTTED SOPP DRIVINGAND INIATIATE'S THE TRAFFICSTOP.

11:3━11:48“Please turnyour car off.“I will not turnmy car off.

Please turn yourcar off.

I will not turn mycar off.

IDondo“THE OFFICER SHOT SOPP 8 TIMES.IN A STATEMENT SOPP'S MOTHERSAYS SHE NEVER IMAGINED THATWHEN SHE CALLED 911 TO PROTECTHER SON AND OTHERS FROMDRIVING DRUNK, IT WOULD COSTHIM HIS LIFE.

SUNDAY UMOH OFTHE BALTIMORE TRANSITY EQUITYCOALITION SAID THE MOBILECRISIS RESPONSE UNIT SHOULDHAVE BEEN CALLED IN.17:52:4━17:53:00“OfficerPage did not even attempt toengage constructively withEric to asses the situation.County officers are supposedto have some training in usingactive listening and responseskills yet Officer Pagedisplayed none of those toengage or communicate”THE DEPUTY STATE'S ATTORNECLEARED THE OFFICER WHO SHOERIC SAYING THAT IT WASJUSTIFIED.

AN INTERNALINVESTIGATION IS ONGOING.

BUTTHE JUSTICE COALITION SAYSTHIS CASE AND OTHERS INCLUDINGAN IN CUSTODY DEATH EARLIERTHIS YEAR, SHOW A PATTERN OFEXCESSIVE FORCE AND THEY WILLCONTINUE PUSH FOR CHANGE.

LIVEAT BALTIMORE COUNTY POLICEHEADQUARTERS IN TOWSON EDDIEKADHIM WMA━2 NEWS.A GRAND JURY INDICTI