A press conference from Baltimore this morning announced that officer Jason Schneider, 36, was killed in the line of duty while serving a warrant. Schneider was a 13-year veteran of the Baltimore police, and is survived by his wife, his parents, his two children and a brother.
Police chief Jim Johnson gave the finer detail on the incident: tactical teams entered a structure in the 1200 block of Winters Lane. A search warrant was to be served, the purpose being to apprehend someone wanted for a shooting that happened a week ago on that same lane. When the tactical team made entry, several people inside started to flee while the team did a room-to-room search.
The suspects, now fully aware of the police officers, opened fire when the officers turned a corner. Officer Schneider returned fire while he was going down, and struck one suspect several times with his weapon.
Dr. Deborah Stein and Dr. O’Connor from the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center spoke about the injuries sustained, acknowledging that the surgical team tried its best to save Officer Schneider, who succumbed to several gunshot wounds. The suspect is in critical condition and still receives treatment. “On behalf of the entire shock trauma center of the University of Maryland, our most deepest heartfelt sympathies to the officer’s family and the entire Baltimore County Police Department. They are our partners, and we deeply feel their loss,” the doctors said.
“…we don’t always appreciate what our police do for us every day, but it’s times like this when we know how grateful we are for their bravery and for their sacrifice,” said Kevin Kamenetz, an executive for Baltimore County. “I ask all county residents to keep Officer Schneider’s family in their prayers.”
The Baltimore Sun notes that the shooting of Officer Schneider is the fourth incident of gun violence in Catonsvile inside the last month: on August 17, two men were shot near the city lines; on August 19, a man was shot not far from where Officer Schneider was on Winters Lane; and on August 21, a 16-year-old took a bullet in the arm north of Route 40.
[image via a Baltimore ABC News affiliate video of the press conference]