Police Name Officer Who Shot and Killed Sword-Wielding Man
Officer Artson, a 17-year Baltimore County Police veteran, was named as the officer who shot and killed Ronald Melvin Cox Jr. on July 12.
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Baltimore County Police have named the officer involved in a shooting that left a sword-wielding man in Reisterstown dead Thursday night.
Officer Artson, a 17-year veteran assigned to the police tactical unit, shot and killed Ronald Melvin Cox Jr. in an upstairs bedroom in a house on the 400 block of Highmeadow Road in Reisterstown after Cox struck his bunker, a type of shield, with a sword, according to a Baltimore County Police news release.
The department does not release the first names of officers involved in shootings.
Artson was placed on administrative leave after the shooting, pending review of the incident, police said.
Police entered the home serving an attempted murder warrant and encountered no one on the first floor. They went up to the second floor, and upon entering a bedroom, Cox swung a large sword at the first officer who entered the room, damaging his bunker. The officer fired shots at Cox to stop the attack, the news release said. Cox was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:46 p.m.
The two suspects police were seeking were in another bedroom, and placed under arrest for the attempted murder of a Reisterstown teen.
Stephanie Dray
9:40 am on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Residents deserve to know whether this was a no knock warrant or not.
Adam Thomas
12:36 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
If it was or wasn't, when they come in, they come in screaming POLICE POLICE POLICE, and so on. They don't sneak in quietly.
Buck Harmon
5:03 pm on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Good point Stephanie Dray...I agree..!
Michael
10:24 am on Wednesday, July 18, 2012
The type of search warrant is irrelevant. After the first attack with the sword the police met force with force to prevent a second attack.
theadore mann
12:01 pm on Wednesday, July 18, 2012
There are no "no knock" warrants all warrants are knock and announce unless there are factors that can be explained at the time of entry to ensure the safety of the police or evidence. Factors like possibly armed subjects, subjects with a violent history, or where evidence may be destroyed are all reasons why the police do not have to knock and announce. Once the flashbangs go off and they are yelling "police" that is when you have announced yourself.
Zoobie
10:38 pm on Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Thanks for clearing that up Theadore. I suspected things were still the same.