The Associated Press
BALTIMORE (AP) -- A 78-year-old man, angered over a $10 increase in rent, was shot and killed by police Monday after he shot the apartment manager and could not be subdued despite being shocked twice with a 50,000-volt stun gun, police said.
Cephus Smith was shot three times and died in his apartment after firing several shots at police from a handgun.
The apartment manager, Stephanie Gilliam, 50, was in critical but stable condition Monday night at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Police said the incident began about 10:20 a.m. when Smith visited Gilliam’s office on the first floor to talk about his $10-a-month increase in rent, police said.
He became angry, police said, went to his second-floor apartment and returned with a handgun. He shot Gilliam three times in the chest before heading back upstairs and locking himself in his apartment.
Police evacuated the building, and officers talked to Smith through the door to try to persuade him to surrender. The man refused, threatening to kill himself and saying he did not want to go to jail, police said.
About 12:10 p.m., using a large shield to protect themselves, several police officers stormed into the apartment and confronted Smith, who was holding a handgun, police said.
Officers hit Smith twice with a Taser gun, but the shocks failed to subdue the man and he began firing his handgun in the room, police said.
An officer then opened fire with his handgun, shooting Smith three times in the upper body and killing him. It was not known Monday how many shots Smith fired.
Police said a preliminary investigation showed the shooting appeared to be justified. Officers recovered two revolvers and a semi-automatic handgun from Smith’s apartment, officials said.