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A stolen car collided with a pedestrian, another car, and a rowhome in Baltimore on February 8, resulting in the immediate collapse of the building over the wreckage.
The driver of the stolen car, Shawn Lee Brunson, was charged with auto theft, and Alfred Fincher, a Baltimore man, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Three others were also injured in the crash. The Maryland Attorney General’s Office released video footage of the speeding Hyundai and the destructive crash, which shows officers arriving at the scene and shouting at the suspect to exit the car.
The officers are also seen rushing to dig out the others trapped in the debris.
The officers involved in the incident are under investigation by the attorney general’s Independent Investigation Division, tasked with probing all officer-involved fatalities in the state.
The division was created in 2021. Bodycam footage from one of the officers involved in the attempted traffic stop indicated an unidentified speaker over police radio told cop Devin Yancy to “just let it go” as the Hyundai was sped off.
Baltimore Police Deputy Commissioner Richard Worley stated that he didn’t believe officers chased after the car but instead “tried to stop it.”
Baltimore police policy reportedly dictates that officers are not allowed to chase a car if the initial violation is a property crime, including auto theft, but can pursue it if the suspect is an immediate threat.
If there is probable cause, the suspect’s actions led to a victim’s death or serious injury before the pursuit. Various factors are also considered when deciding to chase a car.
The attorney general’s office said the deadly crash occurred after an “attempted traffic stop” and that officer followed the Hyundai to Sinclair Lane and North Wolfe Street, where it continued to flee.
In conclusion, the Maryland Attorney General’s Office is investigating the incident, and Officer Yancy has been with the department for more than four years.
Brunson has been charged with auto theft, and Fincher’s family is represented by a lawyer who argues that the officer did not break off the pursuit.
The incident has left behind a trail of destruction, causing injuries and a loss of life, and the investigation is ongoing.
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