By Alison Knezevich
The Baltimore Sun
DUNDALK, Md. — Baltimore County prosecutors have ruled that police were justified in shooting a man who opened fire while on a bus in Dundalk this month, an incident captured by newly released video footage from police and MTA cameras.
Blaine Robert Erb, 35, was killed in the shootout with police June 7. A dramatic cell-phone video that showed Erb shooting from the bus was widely viewed on social media after a bystander posted the footage. Police body-camera and MTA surveillance footage was released for the first time Tuesday to The Baltimore Sun based on a public-information request.
The new videos show the incident unfold from different angles — from inside the MTA bus, which was equipped with security cameras, and from the body camera worn by one of the four officers who shot at Erb.
County prosecutors informed the police department last week that no charges would be filed against the officers who shot at Erb, said county State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.
The videos “greatly contributed to our ability to make a quick decision in this case,” Shellenberger said in an interview Tuesday. “It’s clear that several officers were in danger and civilians were in danger. The officers had to protect themselves and the community.”