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A state trooper shot a 50-year-old man who police said threw large rocks at motorists Tuesday evening in Cecil County and claimed to have a gun when confronted.
Clyde S. Patterson III, a voluntary resident of Perry Point Veterans Affairs Medical Center, was in serious condition at Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore after the incident, which prompted the closure of a portion of westbound Route 40 for several hours, according to police.
Troopers at the state police North East Barracks received reports from three motorists about 6:15 p.m. that their cars had been hit by large rocks thrown from the side of the road by a man on Route 40 west of Red Toad Road. One driver who stopped to confront the man told police that the suspect pulled a gun from his waistband.
Two troopers found Patterson walking east on Route 40, with one hand in his pocket and an American flag in the other hand, according to police. Patterson threw rocks at them, breaking the driver's side window of one patrol car, police said. Patterson was ordered to surrender but kept repeating that he was going to meet "J.C.," according to police.
As a North East police officer armed with a Taser warned Patterson that he would use the device, the suspect lunged at Trooper First Class James L. Parker, 28, who fired his Beretta .40-caliber pistol, striking Patterson in the upper torso, police said. The North East officer also fired his Taser at Patterson, police said.
Parker, a state trooper of more than three years, has been placed on administrative leave, a routine procedure during police-involved shooting investigations. Police said they did not find a gun on Patterson, but they were continuing to search the area.
Police planned to charge Patterson pending his release from the hospital. No police officers were injured, and none of the motorists whose vehicles were struck by rocks was hurt.
Clyde S. Patterson III, a voluntary resident of Perry Point Veterans Affairs Medical Center, was in serious condition at Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore after the incident, which prompted the closure of a portion of westbound Route 40 for several hours, according to police.
Troopers at the state police North East Barracks received reports from three motorists about 6:15 p.m. that their cars had been hit by large rocks thrown from the side of the road by a man on Route 40 west of Red Toad Road. One driver who stopped to confront the man told police that the suspect pulled a gun from his waistband.
Two troopers found Patterson walking east on Route 40, with one hand in his pocket and an American flag in the other hand, according to police. Patterson threw rocks at them, breaking the driver's side window of one patrol car, police said. Patterson was ordered to surrender but kept repeating that he was going to meet "J.C.," according to police.
As a North East police officer armed with a Taser warned Patterson that he would use the device, the suspect lunged at Trooper First Class James L. Parker, 28, who fired his Beretta .40-caliber pistol, striking Patterson in the upper torso, police said. The North East officer also fired his Taser at Patterson, police said.
Parker, a state trooper of more than three years, has been placed on administrative leave, a routine procedure during police-involved shooting investigations. Police said they did not find a gun on Patterson, but they were continuing to search the area.
Police planned to charge Patterson pending his release from the hospital. No police officers were injured, and none of the motorists whose vehicles were struck by rocks was hurt.
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Appears to be a new variation of the "don't bring a knife to a gun fight" rule.
demorat (11/04/2009, 8:47 PM )