Bill Toohey, a Baltimore County police spokesman, said detectives had not been able to locate Lewis and believed that he had gone to North Carolina. He said they learned recently that Lewis, who was also charged with murder in 2005 and had pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, might have returned to the area.
Clifford said that while the men in the rowhouse identified Lewis, his appearance had changed "substantially" and that police were awaiting fingerprint tests to confirm his identity.
Yellow police tape blocked the scene yesterday morning, and residents from both sides of the street watched the activity from their steps. There were dozens of people outside about 10 a.m. as a body was removed from the home by officials from the medical examiner's office.
Lightsey said that the injured deputies were part of a specialized unit that serves warrants. They are equipped with bulletproof vests but do not wear head protection, she said.
"In doing this type of work, anything can happen, and they're always prepared that something could go wrong," Lightsey said.
In December 2006, a state trooper was shot and wounded while serving a warrant in the Edmondson Heights neighborhood. The trooper, Eric D. Workman, was wearing a bulletproof vest but was struck under his arm, and the bullet pierced one of his lungs.
Workman has since returned to work, and he was observed at the scene of yesterday's shooting. State police said he was not helping to serve the warrant but was in the vicinity when the shots rang out and responded to assist.
While police were responding to the shooting, a traffic accident involving a civilian vehicle and a police cruiser occurred at Lanvale and Monroe streets, several blocks south of the shooting scene. Clifford said no one was injured in the crash.
