The leader of the Baltimore County NAACP said Wednesday that his organization will monitor the county police investigation of an unarmed black man killed by county police last week, and called on the department to be open about its findings.
Chapter President Tony Fugett said he and a member of the executive board met this week with Police Chief Jim Johnson at police headquarters to discuss the department's investigation into the death of Spencer Lee McCain, 41, who was killed when officers shot him at an Owings Mills condominium June 25.
"We will continue to monitor the matter," Fugett said in an interview. "We are not going to forget it."
Johnson said at a news conference last week that the officers believed McCain was armed and that he was in "a defensive position" when they encountered him as they were responding to a report of a domestic disturbance at the home on Hunting Ridge Drive. All three officers fired their weapons.
The police chief told the NAACP leaders that McCain had his hand in his pocket and was standing with "one foot behind the other, almost like a karate stance of sorts, with the weight on the back foot," Fugett said.
While it's unclear how many times McCain was shot, a total of 19 shell casings were found. A woman and two children were in the home as well.
"That's a lot of shots for such close quarters and other people being there," Fugett said.
According to the department, the officers forced their way into the home when no one answered the door because they feared someone's life was in danger. A protective order against McCain barred him from being at the condo.
Cpl. John Wachter, a spokesman for the county Police Department, said Wednesday he could not confirm details of the chief's meeting with the NAACP.
Wachter said the three officers remain on administrative leave pending an internal investigation. They have been identified as Officer Wilkes, Officer Besaw, and Officer Stargel. A police union agreement prevents the department from releasing officers' first names.
Two of the officers are white, and one is black, police said.
Wachter said police will forward the results of their investigation to the county state's attorney's office, which will determine whether to file charges against the officers.
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