Bel Air man found dead after suicide call prompts police investigation

A Harford County man who was a Baltimore County police officer was found dead inside him home Monday morning after he called police to report being suicidal, the Harford County Sheriff's Office said.The man, James Ward, was involved in a barricade situation at the same house in the 2000 block of Stratton Drive in the Bright Oaks neighborhood in April, when deputies shot and wounded him after they said Ward was suicidal and fired shots at them.On Monday, Ward called 911 around 1:30 a.m. When they arrived, deputies unsuccessfully attempted to make contact with Ward.Patrol deputies established a perimeter and moved to safeguard nearby residents, according to a release from Kyle Andersen, a spokesman for the sheriff's office. Deputies assigned to the Special Response Team of the Special Operations Division were requested to the scene and assumed command. Members of the Special Response Team, with assistance from the Crisis Negotiation Team, attempted to engage in negotiations with Ward to bring the incident to a peaceful conclusion, Andersen wrote.Deputies were ultimately able to make entry into the home between 6 and 6:30 a.m., Sgt. Shawn Craig of the sheriff's office said.Members of the Special Response Team gained access to the residence and found Ward inside, deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, Andersen said.Craig said neighbors reported hearing gunshots, but Craig said none were fired by either the man inside the home nor by police.&quot;He was not communicating with us and we had place secured. At no time did the suspect shoot at us nor did we shoot at him,&quot; Craig said. &quot;What they heard was other sounds of police activity.&quot;Craig said the man was alone in the house; deputies called family who came to the staging area.Investigators and forensic service unit detectives from the sheriff's office criminal investigations division are conducted a comprehensive investigation into the incident, according to Andersen.Ward was an officer first class who has been with Baltimore County Police Department for 19 years; he was assigned to the White Marsh precinct. At the time of this incident, he was suspended without pay in connection to the April barricade incident.&quot;I was greatly saddened to hear about one of our officers taking his own life after being involved in a barricade situation for the second time. It is fortunate that no one else was hurt,&quot; Baltimore County Police Chief James Johnson said in a news release.The start of Patterson Mill Middle and High School was delayed three hours Monday morning because of the incident, police said.

Bel Air man found dead after suicide call prompts police investigation

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