RadioOnFire.com - Baltimore police Commissioner Kevin Davis said an autopsy performed Sunday on the body of Detective Sean Suiter caused investigators to "think about this murder in a different way" and discover "significant" new evidence.
While Davis was tight-lipped about what the autopsy revealed and new evidence was found, the discovery did lead police to continue to hold the compact crime scene where the shooting took place for at least the next day, Davis said. However, investigators did release the surrounding area.
Preempting questions about the decision to hold the area as a crime scene for so long, Davis said he would rather endure criticism from the ACLU than from Suiter's grieving widow.
"I would love to respond to a crime scene with our crime scene investigators and press start on a stopwatch...but unfortunately, that's not how this business works," Davis said.
The autopsy was delayed because Suiter was an organ donor. Davis said an autopsy can reveal a bullet's trajectory and proximity, among other things.
Davis said he was "very encouraged" that the evidence being discovered will help identify a suspect.
Davis didn't entirely dismiss the theory Suiter was shot with his own weapon, which was found dropped at the scene. All the shell casings found so far have been ballistically matched to his service weapon--however, Davis stressed that there are other kinds of ballistic evidence that can be recovered from a shooting scene.
Police kept the shooting scene active for nearly a week looking for evidence and going door-to-door at nearby residences looking for any potential witnesses in the area.
Resident Melvin Tenney reacted as officers pulled back, granting residents easier access to the neighborhood after six days of heavy police presence.
"I just hope they don't leave. I really don't. I think that guy who shot the police officer is still in the neighborhood," Tenney said.
Tenney and others had to show their identification when entering and leaving the area.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland called the police action unprecedented, wondering if it was lawful.
"This is ridiculous because you can't go in the house. My kids missed two days of school because they was doing that SWAT thing out here. I can't take this," said Lakeisha McLean, a resident.
"It don't make any sense. If it was one of these kids out here laying in the street, it would have been wrapped up and over with," said Daniel Anderson, a resident.
Resident Chris Christopher does not think the officers have been a hindrance. She wonders what will change about neighborhood violent crime following the investigation of the officer's killing.
"It's still grim. Everybody is very leery of what to expect and what's going to go on. Is it going to shut down and never hear again from it? Something has to be done," Christopher said.
There was a raid on nearby Dolphin Street in which two people were taken into custody.
Police still believe the suspect, only publicly identified as a black male, hasn't left the city and may have been wounded. There is a $215,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. Tips may be phoned into police homicide detectives at 410-396-2100, the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7-LOCKUP.
Source WBAL
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