Baltimore police launch an urgent investigation after viral video shows an officer using his SUV to chase a man in broad daylight
2 hours ago
- Baltimore officer suspended after video shows him chasing a man with his SUV.
- Officer identified as Robert Parks, now under investigation by authorities.
- Police commissioner called footage “deeply disturbing” and “unacceptable.”
A Baltimore police officer has been suspended after dramatic video shared to social media showed him trying to run down a pedestrian with his Ford Explorer in broad daylight. The footage, quickly circulated online, prompted immediate outrage and official scrutiny.
Baltimore’s mayor confirmed that an internal investigation is already underway and called the video “deeply disturbing,” emphasizing that the city expects full transparency as the case unfolds.
Watch: Driver Arrested For Laughing At Cop After Flashing His Lights
According to Slick Brown, who filmed the video, he was hanging out with his friends on Wylie Avenue in Park Heights when the officer pulled up alongside them and asked them to walk off.
The group apparently did move, but the officer soon returned, and when he did, he appears to have directly targeted one of the men with his vehicle.
A video shows the officer speaking with the men on the side of the street, who say the officer has no legitimate reason to stop them. Moments later, the officer gets in his cruiser and smashes the gas pedal, abruptly pulling into a small side street where one of the men was walking.
He speeds down the street and swerves into a grassy area, appearing to come within inches of hitting the man.
The tirade didn’t stop there. As the man crossed the street, the officer followed him, briefly driving along the sidewalk and down another street to try to catch him. The clip then shows the officer speeding down another small alley, smashing through a fence to try again to hit the man.
@1grandssxnn Smh watch this Shxt #FUCKBALTIMOREPOLICE ♬ original sound – 1grandsxnn_
“So, first he pulled up for real. He told us walk off, so we was walking off,” Brown told WBAL-TV 11.
“Then, he pulled back up on my man and told him to come here for no reason. So, then my man said, ‘No,’ and he kept walking. So, he walked through the alley. As soon as he walked through the alley, he hopped back in the car and he started chasing him,” he added.
Local Officials Respond
The officer has been identified as Robert Parks. Speaking with WBAL-TV 11, one of the men found out after the incident the officer was trying to talk to him because he had failed to appear in court for driving without a license.
“What is seen in this video is not only disturbing, but alarming,” Baltimore police commissioner Richard Worley said.
“This is not how we expect our officers to behave, and this incident does not reflect the values or standards of the Baltimore Police Department. Our department continues to work hard to rebuild trust and change the narrative of our department and our city. We remain committed to holding officers accountable for their actions and continuing the work of rebuilding trust with our community,” Worley added.
Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates confirmed an immediate investigation has been opened into the case by the Public Trust and Police Integrity Unit.
