GLEN BURNIE, Md. — Two detectives have been hospitalized after they were shot by a man sought as a person of interest in a homicide investigation, Anne Arundel County police said.
The suspect, who has not yet been identified, was found driving in the victim's car around 11 p.m. at a Royal Farms near the Baltimore-City line, police said. In an attempt to make a traffic stop, the suspect refused to stop the car and shot multiple times at the officers while driving and shot a detective, identified as Scott Ballard.
The second detective, identified as Ian Preece, was also shot by the suspect after a pursuit turned altercation that led into the Stoney Beach Townhouse Community.
For both incidents, it looked like it was one-way gunfire, Anne Arundel County police spokesperson Jacklyn Davis said.
A search for the shooter has been ongoing since Wednesday evening.
During a news conference on Thursday morning, Anne Arundel County Police Chief Timothy Altomare had shared "Thank yous" to the leaders of the community and shared some words for the suspect police said shot the two detectives in Glen Burnie, Md.
"Every minute you stretch this out, makes it dangerous for my cops and thus, dangerous to you," Altomare said."We need you to come and turn yourself in."
Although there is little suspect information in the case, police do know that the shooter is a person of interest in a death investigation that happened late Wednesday night in the 600 block of Newfield Road in Glen Burnie, Md.
The police chief said over 50 officers, including K-9 units, are going door-to-door to investigate the incident. Members of the community have been cooperative with police in the area in their efforts, Altomare said.
"I urge the community that if they had an idea of who did this to please come forward and help us. We made a lot of headway through the night but we still have a lot of work to do," Altomare said.
The man, described as a 6-feet tall, white, with a thin build and face/neck tattoos, is considered armed and dangerous, police said. But, Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman is confident the department will find him.
"I can promise you with everything humanly possible will be done to hunt down the man who did this and to prevent him from ever being granted the freedom to do this attack on anyone else," Pittman said.
This event struck an emotional response from Anne Arundel County leaders. As the search continues for the shooter, Ballard is in critical, but stable condition, police said. Preece is in stable condition, police confirm.
"And please, when you see a police officer today, please thank them for their service," Pittman said.