Investigators identify detective who killed man in Baltimore County, lack of body camera video raises concern
WJZ
By Mike Hellgren
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BALTIMORE (WJZ) — The Maryland Attorney General’s Office released the name of the detective who shot and killed a man after an encounter in Baltimore County.
Detective Todd Wiedel, a 28-year veteran of the Baltimore County Police force, was identified as the person who shot and killed 51-year-old Arvel Jones, Sr. on Wednesday, April 23, in Arbutus.
Detective Wiedel is assigned to the Operations Bureau.
Authorities said Jones was armed with a bow and arrow at the time he was shot.
Use of deadly force
On Wednesday, just before 10:30 a.m., someone called 911 and reported Jones was shooting arrows at passing cars.
Ring doorbell video shows him beforehand, walking down the street.
According to a review of police dispatch calls, a responding officer wanted details.
“Can you first contact the complainant, please?” the officer asks. “Find out a little bit more.”
Within minutes, Jones was dead.
The Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Maryland Attorney General’s Office investigates all deadly uses of police force and is leading this investigation.
According to the IID, a Baltimore County Police officer responded to the 5100 block of Leeds Avenue in Arbutus after reports of a man in a black ski mask armed with a bow and arrow shooting at cars.
A second officer arrived on the scene, and they both encountered the man matching the description provided to 911, according to IID.
“During the interaction, one officer discharged his service weapon, striking the man. Officers provided medical aid until EMS crews arrived on scene and transported the man to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A bow and several arrows were recovered from the scene. Circumstances surrounding the interaction remain under investigation. None of the officers or nearby civilians were injured,” IID said in a statement.
No body camera video
The detective was not equipped with a body-worn camera, according to the preliminary investigation.
The Attorney General’s Office said another responding officer who witnessed the shooting had a camera, but did not activate it until after the shooting.
“In this case, I think there’s going to be quite a bit of scrutiny as to why this officer didn’t turn it on,” said veteran defense attorney Warren Brown. “That scrutiny doesn’t have to exist if they just hit the button.”
Brown’s firm represented the family of Korryn Gaines, who won a $3 million settlement against Baltimore County Police after they shot and killed her and wounded her 5-year-old son following a standoff in 2016.
Police expanded the use of cameras after Gaines’ death.
“I’m kind of shocked that, in being called to a scene that might involve some violence, that body-worn cameras weren’t on,” Brown said. “I’m even more shocked that one of the officers didn’t even have a body-worn camera. You would think they would have it on. It’s on for their protection as well, so that in instances like this, they’re not left with other people second-guessing their actions.”
Baltimore County Police are not doing interviews, but did provide WJZ Investigates with their camera policy.
While it states they “should be activated as soon as possible,” the policy gives some leeway.
“If there is immediate danger to the sworn member or others, the [body-worn camera] should be activated once that immediate danger has been addressed,” the policy states.
Jones’ son says police overreacted
Jones’ son spoke exclusively with WJZ and said his father suffered from mental health issues.
“At that moment, he might not have had his medication, but that still doesn’t make it right to take his life because you can’t do your job the proper way,” Arvel Jones, Jr. said. “We do not have a lot of options for people who have mental health disorders. Most of the time, we just throw them in the psych ward instead of actually having counselors who can help them work through the issues.”
Police would not say whether any officer at the scene called for the Mobile Crisis Team, which consists of a specially-trained officer and a licensed mental health clinician.
Police said the team is called at the discretion of responding officers.
“At the end of the day, I feel like the officers could have handled it in a totally different way,” Jones’ son said. “You’re supposed to serve and protect, not kill the people who we love.”
Other cases
At the trial last year for David Linthicum, who was found guilty of shooting several county officers, his defense attorney accused police of escalating the situation – charging toward his bedroom as he was armed and suicidal.
“David was running scared. He was shooting scared,” Deb Katz Levi told jurors.
Levi also said the officers’ initial response “agitated the situation.”
“They made it worse, and they were wrong. Everyone should be held accountable,” she said in her opening statement.
Baltimore County paid a $6 million settlement for shooting a suicidal man, Eric Sopp, along I-83 in 2019.
Cameras also showed the dangers officers faced in Woodlawn five years ago while responding to Everton Brown after he set off an explosion in his home. Brown shot and killed three neighbors before police shot and killed him.
At the time, neighbors told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren that Brown was a “ticking time bomb” and had a history of police interactions and erratic behavior.
Searching for video in Arbutus shooting
The lack of body-worn camera footage in the Arbutus case makes the job of the attorney general’s investigative team harder.
They are now asking for anyone with cellphone video or private surveillance footage to contact them at (410) 576-7070 or by email at IID@oag.state.md.us.
“The camera doesn’t lie,” Warren Brown said. “It’s there to show you what’s going on, so it’s just very troubling. If you could turn it on afterwards, why not turn it on before?”
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