A 70-year-old woman was shot and killed by policemen Wednesday in West Baltimore after lunging at them with a knife, according to police.
Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley stated that police attended to a home in the 2700 block of Mosher Street where a woman was experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
Worley stated that at some time, the woman pulled out a knife, ignored commands, and attacked officers with it. Officers attempted to tase the woman, but it was ineffective, and she continued to attack the officers with the knife, according to Worley.
An cop collapsed, and the woman came at him with the knife, prompting another police to fire two shots at the lady, who died at the hospital.
The cop is receiving treatment at a hospital.
Worley reported that there have been more than 20 calls to the residence this year, including for behavioral health emergencies.
“I believe this is a national catastrophe involving behavioral health issues. Unfortunately, too many of them involve the use of force,” Worley stated. “We have done a fantastic job of educating our police to de-escalate these situations. Unfortunately, they were unable to de-escalate the situation, which resulted in tragedy.”
For several hours, police used crime tape to set up a command center while investigators worked the area.
Neighbors described the incident and the ruckus that occurred during the reaction.
“I was just inside the house. “I heard the helicopter,” stated neighbor Keonte Jones. “I heard the helicopter first, and then I started hearing police cars back to back.”
Witnessing the spectacle from their houses was terrifying, according to neighbors.
“I was nervous, and I still am, because this is too close to my house. “It makes me want to relocate again,” remarked neighbor Julmeala Jung.
The Baltimore NAACP highlighted concerns about how police responded to those experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
“While the specifics of this most recent event are still developing, we are once again confronted with pressing questions regarding how the Baltimore Police Department reacts to individuals in times of psychological and emotional distress. Commissioner Worley stated that the woman was undergoing a behavioral health crisis. That fact alone should have prompted a different response, one centered on de-escalation, mental health competence, and life preservation,” the Baltimore NAACP stated.
The organization reiterated its call for transparency and investment in non-lethal crisis response alternatives, noting that this was the second police shooting in Baltimore in just two weeks.
“This is more than just two separate incidences. This is about a system that must perform better. “We cannot address public safety without first addressing public trust and community well-being,” Baltimore NAACP officials stated.
Wednesday’s shooting occurred around two miles from where a local Arab was shot and killed by police after shooting and injuring an officer on June 17.
The death of Bilal “BJ” Abdullah Jr. is still under investigation. This Monday, police released body-cam footage of the shooting, which showed Abdullah fleeing an officer and drawing a weapon from his luggage.
Police claimed a handgun was seized at the site.
Non-fatal and deadly police encounters in Maryland are normally examined by the Attorney General’s Office, specifically the Independent Investigations Division (IID).
In Baltimore County, there have been five police-related shootings in 2025.
Glenn Pettie, 43, was shot and killed during a mental health response on North Boundary Road in Dundalk, police confirmed on May 18.
In April, police shot and killed a guy armed with a bow and arrow in Arbutus. According to police, the individual was wearing a ski mask and shooting automobiles with a bow and arrow.
According to the Attorney General’s Office, two officers approached the individual, and one of them shot him.
In March, a suspected gunman was shot during a confrontation with authorities outside Catonsville’s Wilkens Precinct.
Police said Baltimore City elementary school teacher Andrew Britt wandered around the premises and exchanged gunfire with officers. The injured officer was released from the hospital several days later.
On June 9, a guy holding a double-edged spear was fatally shot by police in Howard County. According to police, Micah Booker, 23, of Columbia, stabbed his older brother before fleeing and approaching an officer with a spear.
Police said Booker was found along Oakland Mills Boulevard, where he refused to obey an order and was shot by officers.
The officer involved has been identified as Michael McKee, a two-year veteran assigned to the Field Operations Command, according to the Maryland Attorney General.
Reference: 70-year-old woman shot and killed after lunging at Baltimore officers with knife, police say