The questions are, Why does an 18 year old need a firearm, and How do we increase our Gun Control to ensure these things don't happen in the future? This type of violence is getting out of hand. Our streets are not safe, it might as well be the wild west out there! Sad!

If we lived in a Stand Your Ground state no charges would have been filed. What was the cop's BAC anyway?

If you feel threatened you are allowed to pull your gun out and "Pow!, Pow! Pow!"

I imagine he felt threatened.

Pathetic logic?? That is what the "Stand Your Ground" law is based on. 3:30 in the morning some half in the bag dude pulls out his gun and starts firing into a crowd you are supposed to fire back.

Look just stop the BS ! It is ILLEGAL in Maryland to purchase a handgun if your under 21 . It is Illegal to carry a concealed handgun without a ccp in Maryland . If by chance this QUILTY person (He is Quilty the handgun they got him with is illegal ) not to mention shooting, by chance he has a juvenile record and any of those offenses were considered felonies equivilant if he had been adult he is also unable to purchase a hand gun after he turns 21. I wish people would just admit it gun laws DO NOT WORK! We should just have open carry and see what happens to crime rate. oh yeah Steve enough with the Florida law Obama won now truth has begun to surface he was beat up and threatened ,victim does have prior run ins and the fact is they Will have those cell coversations with girlfriend who has recanted original statements and is seeking 5th .very Great possibility there is a text from victim saying I'm going to show him. Stand your ground has it's merits.

Hey goofball Stand Your Ground does not allow you to use illegal weapon to defend yourself.

People like Steve are the Real reason we still have WESTBORO BAPTIST around. They take stands only to defend liberal point of view ,result ACLU stands behind Westboro and against Nativity scenes or 10 commandments in goverment buildings. Yes Steve ,Westboro was saved from bankruptcy because ruling against 10 commandments in public buildings showed goverment had no right to stop protests unless they were religious in nature permanent fixtures as in nativity scenes or menorahs in goverment buildings . Thanks steve your friends from Westboro appreciated your support so they could be there in Conn.

What do you have against the Constitution,Dumbo?

Book it everyone at 4:16 pm Steve has now defended the Constitution as it is written. Also pledged his support for Westboro Baptist .Now we all Know who you really are Steve.

Wow here comes the calvary FIFA to Steve rescue,let's throw out some namecalling, bullying,and other tactics to make people who disagree with the three Stooges of Patch go away .Right FIFA ?

Steve what do YOU have against the Constitution? You are in favor of the 1st but not the 2nd?

Stand your ground? It doesnt apply at ALL in a case like this. The 18 is prohibited federally and in EVERY state from POSSESSING a handgun outside of a controlled enviroment like a shooting range or shooting sport activity.

Just because you dont understand firearms and have some phobia about your neighbors being able to protect themselfs doesnt make guns "evil". Many here grew up around guns and own them...you know what...none of them ever jumped up, pointed themself at someone, and pulled their own trigger.

To further show how stupid the liberal agenda is they will jump on the back of school age children being killed however the support abortion to the fullest.....jeezzz guess it's okay to kill a child in a hospital enviroment but a school? No no cant have that.

Guns are bad....only the police and military need them. Not everyone lives in highly populated area's where the police response is 4-6 minutes for an emergency. Some still live away from trashy ghetto MTA folks and would like the chance to defend themself against both criminals and domestic enemies. There are plenty of places even in MD where the police are 15-20 minutes...heck in Baltimore County you can see that kind of response time to an emergency.

Cry foul at guns and not the real issue which is a turd kid at a party thinking he can do whatever he wants to whoever he wants.

Fagin Insulse Fimicolous Autocoprophagy or FIFA with a name like yours and what it really means do you think you worry educated people with your spelling comments ?
Why don't you stick to your fantasy about discussing Depends ? That is more up your alley isn't it ?

Such a wonderful, civil discussion on both sides. And they say civil discourse is dead...

Now this guy looks like the son Obama would have had if he had a son.

I agree that the second amendment allows people to bear "arms", I just demand that the laws can restrict that 'right" to certain type of arms and ammunition. I, like Thomas Jefferson, believe that 200 year old documents require frequent re-examination every 25 years or so. The 2nd amendment has been sorely in need of that for a long time.

As Evets knows, I am passionate about that issue, I am a fan of Emilie. I will respectfully agree to disagree on his interpretation.

Evets ,kevin pot meet kettle (good point) .Being upset doesn't give me right to make jerk out of myself.I can do that by myself by commenting anyway. still just feel that 20 kids are being used thought try WH.journalism get them off topic .gunlaws aren't changing,Florida, Tavon case is gone out of newscycle.Just like Tawana Brawley ,Sharpton and them all get free pass.But that is state of journalism and media. But again good point Evets.

I wonder what Michael Jabateh's excuse will be for having an illegal gun plus firing at an off duty police officer. He lives in a very affluent neighborhood of eastern Baltimore County. He can't plead he has a poor upbringing. Sad to see a young man commit an action that will forever change his life.

If you think that controlling guns, of any kind, will make you safer you are kidding yourself! When they take away all our guns, then they will come for us! Wake up dumbasses!!

This country is faced with the reality that guns will always be here. Years ago people would use their fists to settle their differences.This certainly wasn't the right thing to do but it happened. Now, much easier to pull out a gun and settle your differences.
Who really has to deal with the this "in the end" ? The families who have to take care of the victim (sometimes paralized for life ) The police who have to find the shooter. The court system who has to sentence the criminal. A vicious circle that really starts with the upbringing of the "shooter". A defense lawyer will go out of their way to justify the shooting ( poor upbringing, problems in the neighborhood,etc. ). There is no excuse for shooting another person. They do it because the gun is in their hand which ( in their mind ) represents power..

Our Government has a track record of mass failure....it has also been involved in mass murder, both at home and abroad....kinda weird when you think about it...don't think I'll be surrendering anything to that type of structure...personal choices trump perceived law... that feels like freedom to me..

Evets, To Settle differences is one thing ( as in war ) but to use the streets to gain an advantage is another. We should be able to walk down the streets and not be attacked by an irresponsible person. The police would love to not be called on an armed robbery. Unfortunately, there are criminals "out there" who love to pull up on unarmed victims. Police presence is the best thing to have but they can't be everywhere. At this point recognizing a potential problem ( and countering it ) is the best thing we can do other than being armed. Sometimes giving up your possessions saves your life. Hate the thought of it but it's a reality.

BOBB

"....batted breath words...."

"I'm still waiting for your bated breath words"

LOL Now he is deleting his posts and reediting them. What a Maroon!

You are also wrong. By the way since when do you capitalize the word "Maroon"? It is not capitalized but then again for you and your intelligence category which is : "Pow!, Pow!, Pow!", I would not expect anything less.

You should learn what the word - edit - means then you won't look so stupid criticizing those that use it instead of making the same mistakes that you do over and over.

Now if you edit your mistake that makes you a maroon also now doesn't it?

You guys aren't and not capable of dueling with me. You don't have the brains to do so.

Maroon is a noun.

You really should ask the Catholic Church to give you some back some of the money your parents wasted on your tuition.

Steve like I said you don't have the brains to compete, even with the help of your buddy Frank.

I'm assuming your are referring to the URBAN use of the word. Here is the definition.

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=maroon

Now here is the definition of a noun.

http://www.writingcentre.uottawa.ca/hypergrammar/nouns.html

YOU CAPITALIZE PROPER NOUNS. That is where you just don't get it. They teach that in grade school English both Catholic and public schools. This is the definition of a proper noun, showing examples of a proper noun.

http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/nouns-proper.htm

There is a HUGE difference between the two when you write them. Now hurry up or you will miss your buss and pull your pants up.

Now mark my words, you won't hear from him for awhile.

"Now hurry up or you will miss your buss.."

I wouldn't want to miss that now would I?. Plus she's really cute!

I don't mean to sound like a Macaroon, but are you sure you didn't mean "with bait on my breath?"f

Just asking.

You might look at http://bit.ly/RddMNv But, no. Absolutely no. Everybody else is stupid and you are smart.

Maroon. Puce. Organdy.

News accounts did not mention whether the officer discharged his weapon. That four shots may have been fired was mentioned at some point.

The officer fired his weapon after he was fired upon.

The other way around Beeker. Thank God they only gave you one bullet and you had to keep it in your pocket, otherwise you might have put your eye out.

I saved he cap of the bullet for your one tooth. The direction and angle of your bill and cap are your decision.

Just be careful when you run for the bus with your pants down around your knees you don't fall and hurt yourself, the ER's are full.

2013 is going to be a big year for you Beeker. Your age will actually match your IQ.

Evets, I agree but look at who your dealing with. Some of these people don't know the meaning of respect and comprehend the word civil discourse. In my case I gave up long ago being PC after I was targeted with slander and harassment.

If you want respect they have to earn it. I never, every refer to name calling unless I am the target of their attacks.

I am not a punching bag. The issues on this and any similar sites are the same and many times they are not mature and adult responses but rather attacks that deal with ethnic issues.

Unfortunately humane interaction and the level of maturity involved dictate the tone on the topic and their responses.

Chillin, every blog I write, no matter what the topic or every time I make a comment the three of them pounce and and for almost two years I've been called every name in the book. I do a blog on you woman being sexually harassed in the county and they find or blame me for her situation.

I've tired to reason, cajole but nothing worked. They won't stop even if I don't comeback with a comment. You can't reason with people like that. I can't just stand by and have someone accuse me of a crime and remain silent.

There are many important issues facing this country and community but they can't grasp that. I'm a real person and represent everything they can't stand. That's the bottom line.

An interesting study using government data involving the types of firearms used in homicides. The information is surprising. You read you decide.

https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/204431.pdf

FIFA, I don't think it will ever happen. I used to believe in strict gun control but we will never get the guns off the street. We are way past that stage.

Medical science can now identify those who have a propensity for violence and that there are those who have no emotions when it comes to committing such crimes.

It is an unobtainable situation. Too many people and too many guns.

FIFA, the human race has been killing each other since well before biblical times. I don't see any evidence of a more kindly human kind. We have to look only to the country of Syria and their civil war.

The Constitution like the Bible is flawed.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

1ike thank you, and have a great Christmas also.

This ex con killed his grandmother. He received a life sentence and was paroled.

He was a w/m which fits the profile. The criminal justice system failed. Why would you release a man who beat to death his grandmother with a hammer. If life doesn't mean life than execution is the next best thing.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/shooter-opens-fire-webster-n-y-house-fire-article-1.1226541

My mistake on the sentence issue, however it sounded like a plea deal. You don't beat to death as 92 year old with a harmer and call it manslaughter. All things being equal he, if given the right sentence instead of some deal, he should have been in prison or received a needle.

Is the police officer okay?

to the people that said in previous comments that mike is a thug and he just wants to kill people you have no idea who he is or what your talking about , I do know mike and he was a nice kid he made a mistake everybody makes mistakes and I hope he don't get caught up on all of them charges he was a good that went to school that just likes to hang around the neighborhood it's sad he should have to throw his whole life away because of a mistake

A man gets out of his car at 3:30 AM and pulls a gun. If you had a gun what would you do EVETS, pull it or run away?

The officer did not pull his gun out until after he had been fired upon. He had no choice but to return fire at the suspect who was apparently close enough to the officer's vehicle there was no other option. He shot only after being fired at. Police officers are taught only to take out the firearm if they intend to use fatal force and only if their lives are in danger or those of someone else.

Just because someone yelled "gun", if in fact that was the case does not mean one starts shooting. Kids and guns don't mix. The suspect approached the officer's car at close range and began firing. That is why he is where he is.

1ke, Evets, and FIFA all make good solid points.

Just like that shooter in upstate NY, he should have never been on the street. Another waiting time bomb.

Were you there Beeker?

Buzz, Maybe ( at one time ) he was a nice kid. All that changed when he decided to carry a weapon and shoot another individual. If it wasn't a police officer that he opened fire on how would an unarmed individual fight back ? All shooters should be sentenced to hard labor with no parole.They think they are special than they deserve "special" treatment. Tent city in Arizona ?

No, I wasn't but neither were you guys.

Beeker pretends he knows, but as usual he is very short of facts.

Evets, don't bother he won't reply. This followup article says the suspect approached the officers car and began shooting. The officer was hit and fired in self defense.

I know what the academy teaches in the use of deadly force. The policy changed when I was still on the streets.

The original policy allowed you to shot a fleeing felon. It was changed to using deadly force to protect your life or that of another.

Steve has no respect that's why he can't spell. It is what it is.

http://parkville.patch.com/articles/investigation-reveals-shot-officers-weapon-fired

"Kids and guns don't mix."

Neither do Bitter Old White Guys with anger management issues.

Evets, read some of my blogs on Dundak/Patch and the Sun Talk Board, and look at my background in reporting. I never write something unless I used published reports and documents. I always do my research. I've been doing this for longer than you are probably are old. I had 39 years with the county police force.

My writing and reporting background goes back to the early 80's and includes work with the Sun and the Hearst Corporation's Baltimore News American.

39 years without a promotion.

How was Tamika's Christmas? What did you buy her Beeker?

Evets, Why was that kid carrying a weapon in the first place.? After that the kids life has changed drastically. He could have been killed and he could have killed somebody. I know a friend of mine who came up to a group of guys blocking the street . He "respectfully" asked them to move, They put a gun in his face and made him wait. I guess we should accept this. ? These type of people expect us to.

Dennis, not sure about Evets, but people like Steve have issues.

Dennis, with people like Steve your wasting your breath. He has a great deal of issues to deal with. He uses several AKA's and will never answer a question? He has had numerous comments deleted for violation of the terms of use.

What you see is what you get.

Tamika is doing just fine. The man who asked sexual favors of her and and taped another girl isn't doing so good. He was fired and charged with a crime.

Of course I figured you would side with the offender rather than the victim.

Steve has a problem with me because I did something with my life. When I did a blog on a Maj. from Dundalk killed in the war he used a AKA to put the article that paid tribute to the deceased solider down. Like I said he has issues. Evets if you are who you claim to be if you can't see what this is then Mr. Gilpin and I can't help you.

Like I said the suspect is in jail charged with attempted first degree murder.

"Tamika is doing just fine."

What did you buy her for Christmas, Beeker? You played a big part in getting her fired. Flinging Monkey Poo has a consequence.

Do you want me to bring up the post where they bragged about spitting lugey's in their Supervisor's coffee cup?

Nice people you pal around with....

I don't care what post you bring up. First of all, as always you are wrong. Your are always wrong. She was not fired. She was on medical leave the same as the other victim.

The one who got fired was the one charged with as crime, her boss. As always you in way over your head.

I have nothing to do whit personal issues within the office or what he said or she said issues.

The blog focused on the filing of the EEOC complaint with was formal and the man was charged with a crime on the other matter.

You make a fool of yourself when you don't know what you're talking about.

The second blog referred to her being transferred only.

I only deal with facts and those facts dealt with what the blogs stated not what someone wrote in a comment.

You always get in way over your head and put your foot in your mouth. Tomkia came to me with her story and I wrote based on the facts that were provided including the charging documents

You can take the Alcohol out of Fruitcake but it's still a Fruitcake.

Way to go Buzz! You make Dundalk Proud!

" I don't care what post you bring up. First of all, as always you are wrong. Your are always wrong. She was not fired."

Do you even remember your own Blogs??

http://dundalk.patch.com/blog_posts/victim-of-sexual-harassment-case-in-county-fired-over-the-phone

You were correct. That was the finial blog that I wrote. I talked to Tomika numerous times during the day and night over this entire issue. It was her wishes to come forward with her story and put a stop to this man which she did. She was on medical leave for a while before they fired her.

That VA hospital you rave about almost let my brother bleed to death over the holidays and yes I did forget about the third blog on her story.

I will tell you I would not want to be in the county's shoes legally after taking that action.

She told me that there was no way she could go back to that environment and work. That is why the law refers to it as a hostile work environment.

Yes I forgot about that part of the story and admit it because I am truthful. I stand up and come forward with my mistakes, while you on the other hand continue to hide like some scared child in the shadows.

Don't you remember your statement on the FD hiring a full class of vets in the county concerning my blog. Where is your information on that or don't you remember.

Before you criticize others look at your own image in the mirror. The Other Tim was right about your false and misleading statements on this shooting or don't you read the other news on the shooting as I posted above.

The pot calling the kettle black.

Tomika did what she had to do.

I wish you all would shut up and look at the guy! He looks like an animal. Our neighborhoods used to be nice! Thanks to "them" it's not safe anywhere!

Tink1967, it is easy for you to say things because you do not use a real name. Would you say what you said using your real name. Would Steve say the same things using his real name - I don't think so.

If we all shut up who are you going to comment to. Most people realize what took place and if they are wrong the investigation will reveal that.

Now that I have wasted 5-10 minutes of my life reading through the comments on here. I would like to say a few things:
Thank you to Sanchez and TaylorRae for your input (especially Sanchez).
To Tink1967 and Steve, you might want to consider some psychiatric help for your anger and bigotry issues.
Plus Steve, you might want to consider taking some remedial English courses. I am not insulting your intelligence but the concept of if you don't use it you lose it is true. Obviously you have not worked on parts of speech in quite awhile

My name is Steve, Beeker.

Nice post Joe.

Your name is Robert Armstrong, AKA Adam Baum, AkA, Steve. Mr. M.E must know you reputation which is rather lacking. You still can't spell.

LOL You're one to talk about spelling. You're illiterate.

.....I am just glad someone showed you how to use Spell Check. Trying to read Buzzbonics was painful.

My name was not mentioned as the illiterate one, just yours. Why all the dots before the start of your sentence?

1ke, I'm always open minded. I wished you a Merry Christmas after FIFA, remember. I do acknowledge you were the first to do so. Ditto on the grammar but I would suggest a Exclamatory Sentence. That leaves 23 grammatical dissertations left.

Frank you were referring to the correct spelling of a name remember?

M.E I saw your comments in my inbox. Don't worry, you did not use a name. You are safe. 1ke was referring to me on the grammar issue. We do this all the time. You are not in the middle of anything. We all act like children. I do it because I'm 65 with no family and still like to write.

I don't always bash the government like this story I just did.

http://dundalk.patch.com/blog_posts/this-christmas-its-yes-sir-and-semper-fi-a1afe6c1

I always wanted to interview a teacher for a blog. They talk but don't want it on record even though I don't use names.

Things like we do go on all the time. It's a whole new world of instant communication.

Your are not in the middle of anything. You are using a pseudonym. Don't worry about it. You should continue to talk about you being a teacher and you can do so without any worries. Your perspective would be interesting.

Sad story. What happened to the off duty officer? Okay?