A black woman who was holding her five-year-old son was shot and killed by police in Randallstown, Maryland, on Monday afternoon after an extended standoff.
The 23-year-old Korryn Gaines allegedly pointed a shotgun at officers and said: “If you don’t leave, I’m going to kill you.” Authorities said that officers then fired and Gaines returned fire, but did not strike any police. The five-year-old boy injured a limb during the firefight but it was not initially clear whether bullets from police or Gaines struck him. The injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
“We discharged one round at her,” police chief James Johnson told reporters at an evening news conference. “In return, she fired several rounds back at us. We fired again at her, striking and killing her.”
The standoff began after three officers went to Gaines’ apartment in the Baltimore suburb to serve arrest warrants on her and a man, according to police. Gaines was wanted for failing to appear in court on traffic charges dating from a stop in March and the man was wanted for assault, authorities said.
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