Prince Georges County police tweeted Monday that they now have a third brother in custody in Sunday nights slaying of Officer Jacai Colson.
Advertisement
A Maryland police officer killed in the line of duty was inadvertently shot by a fellow responding officer after a gunman allegedly ambushed a police stationhouse in an “unprovoked” attack, cops said.
Colson, who would have turned 29 this week, was a four-year department veteran who worked as an undercover narcotics officer.
An eyewitness said she saw a man dressed in black firing a handgun as she looked through her window, according to a report in The Washington Post (http://wapo.st/1M12KZ1 ).
(Prince George’s County Police Department via AP). Three other officers did the same.
“They run to the sound of shots”, said Chief Stawinski.
Chief Stawinski said that Colson jumped out of his auto and “heroically” drew fire from the gunman.
“While this is occurring here and we are conducting a forensic investigation of the scene, interviews are ongoing, and what you see happening right now has to be compared to their statements, to witness statements, to video collected from our facility, the recreation center”, Stawinski said. His brothers Malik and Elijah are facing 10 charges each, including attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and assault.
At least one of the brothers stood nearby and recorded the gunfight on his phone, police said.
The chief says Ford’s two brothers, Malik and Elijah Ford, were arrested after making recordings of the firefight.
“I do not believe for a second that a police officer intentionally fired at another police officer”, Stawinski said.
Prince George’s County police Chief Hank Stawinski says he couldn’t explain the “frightening” actions of the shooter or his two brothers.
Elijah and Malik Ford are scheduled to appear for a bond review in Prince George’s County District Court on Wednesday afternoon, Erzen said. He was working undercover and not wearing body armor when he was struck by a bullet fired by one of his fellow officers.
The chief stopped short of speculating what that officer may have believed about Colson in the moment. Police say Michael Ford intended for officers to return fire and kill him.
As News4 previously reported, Ford’s brothers told police they had discussed with Michael Ford his plan to “attack the police and engage the police in a ‘shootout, ‘” prosecutors said.
They fled the scene and were captured soon after the shooting. Michael Ford, 22, was expected to survive, along with his brothers Malik, 21, and Elijah, 18. “He lit up everybody’s lives he touched”, said FOP President Zeke Teletchea. This image provided by the State of Maryland shows Michael Ford, one of the three suspects involve in the shooting of Prince George’s County police officer Jacai Colson. “He made a difference every day he was here, and he made the difference and saved lives yesterday”.
Advertisement
Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch also mourned the detective’s death, and called shooting at the station a “heinous act of violence and a cowardly crime”. His or her identity has also not been released to the public.
