Residents react to traffic stop turned fatal police-involved shooting in Bel Air

HARFORD COUNTY, Md. (WBFF) — The Maryland Attorney General’s Office is investigating a fatal police-involved shooting that happened during a traffic stop Saturday night in Bel Air.

According to the Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division, a Bel Air Police Department officer conducted a traffic stop around 9 p.m. on August 15 in the 300 block of Franklin Street.

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Investigators said that at some point during the stop, the officer fired his service weapon, striking the driver.

“I mean, this doesn’t seem like a good trend. I think I remember reading about a shooting at some neighborhood too,” resident Samuel Encarnacion said.

Officers provided emergency medical aid until emergency medical services arrived. The driver was taken to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. The officer involved in the incident was also injured and treated at a hospital.

Officials have not said what happened between the beginning of the traffic stop and the moment the officer fired his weapon.

“You also have to make sure those cops are doing the right thing and whatnot. They’re not abusing their own powers,” resident Arjun Sagar said.

Investigators said the officer was equipped with a body-worn camera. Under the division’s general policy, body-camera footage is released within 20 business days of an incident. That timeline can be extended for reasons including witness interviews, technical issues related to shielding civilian identities or allowing family members to view the video before its public release.

The division said it generally releases the name of the person who died and the names of involved officers within two business days of an incident, although that timeline can also be extended under its protocol.

Investigators are asking anyone with information about the shooting, including cell phone video or private surveillance footage, to contact the Independent Investigations Division at 410-576-7070 or IID@oag.maryland.gov.

The investigation remains ongoing.