The FBI has launched an investigation into a Baltimore City police officer’s shooting of an unarmed man.

Richard Wolf, spokesman for the Baltimore branch of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, said he couldn’t give details of the probe, but confirmed that his agency had opened an investigation into the killing of Edward Lamont Hunt, 27, who witnesses say was shot twice in the back Jan. 30 around noon at a shopping plaza in Northeast Baltimore.

Marvin “Doc” Cheatham, president of the Baltimore City branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said he requested the FBI open an investigation.

“We have sent a formal letter requesting they take the case,” Cheatham said. “We are not questioning the integrity of the current investigation. We just don’t think the police should be investigating themselves.”

This story continues below
Advertisement

Cheatham said he wanted an independent look at the chain of events that lead to Hunt’s death, including eyewitness accounts of what occurred just before the shooting. Several eyewitnesses claim the shooting was unprovoked, Cheatham said.

“We think all the witnesses should be interviewed again while they were not under duress,” Cheatham said. “Many said they felt intimidated.”

Sources familiar with the case told The Examiner that police interviewed more than a dozen witnesses shortly after the shooting occurred. The witness told detectives the police officer, Tommy Sanders — a five-year veteran — frisked Hunt before shooting him in the back as Hunt ran away, the sources said.

Sanders told detectives he had not completed his interrogation of Hunt when Hunt pulled away, prompting the officer to fire out of fear that Hunt had a weapon, the sources said.

Baltimore police spokesman Sterling Clifford declined comment on the FBI’s probe. He did say Sanders has never been involved in a shooting before.

Police initially declined to name Sanders, but Clifford identified the officer Monday as the shooter.

Clifford said the Police Department is now creating written procedures for when and how the agency will release the names of officers involved in shootings. Currently the agency has no such formal procedures.

lbroadwater@baltimoreexaminer.com

sjanis@baltimoreexaminer.com