Robber is convicted of shooting off-duty officer

A Baltimore man accused of shooting an off-duty police officer in the foot was convicted this week by a city jury of attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault and two handgun counts.

On July 18, 2005, Reginald McKever, 20, of the 4700 block of Greencrest Road and another man approached Baltimore Officer Kevin Simmons, who was sitting on a split rail fence talking on his cell phone in the 5300 block of Goodnow Road, prosecutors said.

Simmons was off duty but had his police identification and department-issued handgun. McKever pointed a gun at him and asked him to "kick it out" in an apparent robbery attempt, prosecutors said.

Simmons ran for cover and was shot once in the foot.

McKever is scheduled to be sentenced in January by Circuit Judge Allen L. Schwait. The other assailant has not been identified, prosecutors said.