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61-year-old woman shot by Anne Arundel County police
Anne Arundel County police shot a 61-year-old woman after investigators say she failed to listen to commands to drop her gun.
PASADENA, Md. - Anne Arundel County police officers shot a 61-year-old woman Thursday after investigators say she failed to listen to commands to drop her gun.
Police Chief Amal Awad said officers went to a home on Gambier Harbor in Pasadena around 1:35 p.m. after receiving reports someone shot and killed a cat.
Officers, Chief Awad said, set up a perimeter and the woman stepped outside with a handgun.
Awad said the 61-year-old raised the gun at some point and refused to surrender.
Officers gave repeated commands for the female suspect to drop the firearm, she added, and then the suspect pointed the gun in the direction of the officers.
That's when officers shot the woman. The police chief said she was transported to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in critical condition.
A firearm was recovered at the scene. A cat was also found dead inside the residence from an apparent gunshot wound.
Awad said crisis response teams are available, but did not clarify if they accompanied police to the home Thursday.
"They know that I fully support their decision-making in these very tense moments where they have to make quick, split-second decisions that are life-threatening," she said.
No officers were injured and some will be placed on administrative leave pending review.
Watch Chief Awad's full press conference below: