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SILVER SPRING, Md. - A man has died after being shot multiple times by a Montgomery County police officer in Silver Spring, police said.
Montgomery County Police Chief Tom Manger said the officer was in the area of Sligo Creek Parkway in Silver Spring responding to an unrelated call for service. After the call was cleared at around 2:15 p.m., the officer encountered an African American man at a nearby townhouse community on Three Oaks Drive. It is unclear why the officer approached the man, but Manger said the situation escalated.
"The officer attempted to speak with the man and the man became combative and a physical altercation occurred," Manger said. "The man was shot by the officer multiple times."
Manger said there is no indication that the man was armed. The officer activated his body camera and that footage is being reviewed.
Police radio traffic reveals more about the moments before the shooting.
Initially, the officer is out of breath and tells dispatchers he is concerned that the man has his hands in pockets.
"Hands in his pocket. Might be a suicide-by-cop-type thing," he said.
Several minutes later, the man is down -- shot multiple times.
People in the neighborhood said they heard shouting and gunshots soon after.
"I just heard a lot of arguing," said Liza Rahman. "I don't remember exactly what they said -- just, 'Don't do it, don't do it.'"
"The only thing I could hear was six shots go off and our entire neighborhood heard it," said Ella Robinson.
The man initially survived the shooting, but later died at the hospital.
The officer involved is a two-year veteran of the Montgomery County Police Department and was not injured. He has been placed on paid administrative leave, officials said.
Manger said there were several people who witnessed the physical altercation and shooting, and they were being interviewed by detectives.