Saturday, January 19, 2013

SUICIDE DURING TRAFFIC STOP IN MONTGOMEY COUNTY

(ROCKVILLE, MD) – State Police are investigating the death of a man who shot himself this afternoon after being stopped by a trooper in Montgomery County for a traffic violation.

The identity of the man is unknown at this time. Troopers are attempting to positively identify the driver of a 1997 Ford Focus. Emergency medical personnel from Montgomery County Fire Department pronounced him dead at the scene. His body will be transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy.

Shortly after 4:00 p.m., a Maryland state trooper from the Rockville Barrack was patrolling on northbound Interstate 270 prior to Montrose Road when the driver of a 1997 Ford Focus was observed operating the vehicle without a seat belt. The trooper initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. The driver stopped the vehicle on the right shoulder without incident. As the trooper exited his vehicle, he heard a gun shot. The trooper returned to his vehicle and immediately notified the barrack and requested back up. The trooper gave verbal commands to the driver but he did not respond.

Once back up arrived on the scene, the troopers gave verbal commands for the driver to exit the vehicle. When he did not, the troopers approached the car. They found driver unresponsive and saw what appeared to be a gunshot wound to his upper torso. Troopers saw a handgun near the center console of the car. EMS personnel were summoned to the scene and emergency care was provided, but driver was deceased.

The Maryland State Police Homicide Unit has been notified and will be conducting the investigation. Investigators from the Rockville Barracks along with State Police crime scene technicians continue to process the scene. The body will be transported to the Office of the Medical Examiners in Baltimore for an autopsy. The victim’s name will not be released until he is positively identified and family is notified. He may not be positively identified until after the autopsy is completed.


Submitted:
Md. State Police

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