The Baltimore police officer charged with first-degree murder in the off-duty shooting of an unarmed man outside a Mount Vernon club began hitting back at the accusations, with his attorney questioning the behavior of the victim and saying the officer "did what he had to do."
Addressing the incident for the first time, a defense attorney for Officer Gahiji A. Tshamba, 36, described his client as a decorated police veteran who has been devastated by the charges. He said the June 5 killing of Tyrone Brown came after the officer put himself on duty to respond to a sexual assault.
Brown, a 32-year-old former Marine from East Baltimore, was shot 12 times after Tshamba fired 13 rounds from his service weapon, according to charging documents. Police previously said Brown was struck nine times.