In another case of a police-involved fatal shooting, A Maryland State Police trooper ended the life of 16-year-old Peyton Ham this past Tuesday. The teenager was allegedly holding a knife and an airsoft gun, according to CNN. Neighbors near the residence noticed an excessive amount of bullets and gunshot noises from police, with some hitting a nearby person’s garage.
Police were responding to two 911 calls about someone acting suspiciously and possibly holding a gun. A preliminary investigation revealed that the state trooper arrived at the Leonardtown, Maryland neighborhood “within minutes.”
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A witness stated that once the uniformed state trooper confronted Ham, the teenager pointed a “gun” at the trooper. It was later determined to be an airsoft gun, which is typically non-lethal. That’s when the unnamed trooper fired at him, according to a police news release. Another witness stated that Ham tried to get up and pulled out his knife. The trooper fired at Ham again after asking him to drop the weapon.
Police and ambulance tried to render aid to Ham, and he was later rushed to a local hospital to treat his gunshot wounds. The teen was later pronounced dead by medical personnel.
Ham’s family describes the teen as an ambitious honor student who dreamed of being a politician one day. Family attorney Christopher Longmore released a statement to CNN on behalf of the family, saying “His love of conservative politics always taking center stage to his lively debates at the family dinner table.”
Nearby neighbors were shocked at the number of bullets leftover at the scene, which was a residential street. One neighbor noticed bullet fragments in her garage and on a step ladder inside, telling the Baltimore Sun, “I don’t understand why bullets ended up across the street.”
The involved officer is currently on administrative leave pending an investigation.
