August 13, 2011|By Peter Hermann, The Baltimore Sun
"At least one-half-dozen people … kick and stomp the downed officer," the report says, naming Gamble, his brother, James, and Baker as the instigators. "A couple seconds later, Officer Torbit, still on the ground being beaten, draws his service weapon and fires eight times at his attackers."
Police concluded that Torbit started shooting just as Pawley sprayed Mace or pepper spray to disperse the crowd. Gamble's attorney has said that after looking at the video, it appears to him that his client was shot as he was trying to run away.
In his report, Pawley said he sprayed and then "the crowd began to disperse and I stepped back and began to reholster my pepper spray. While doing so, I heard several gunshots." Pawley said he then opened fire, followed by Craig, Dodge and Williams.
Gamble, hit by a bullet, stumbled away and collapsed in the parking lot, and was run over by a car whose driver was backing up. Police concluded that Dodge, in addition to shooting himself in the foot, also most likely shot the three bystanders, including Graves, who was grazed in the head, a wound that required 25 stitches to close.
Baker said it happened quickly.
"So you know we fighting then in the midst of that, um, like it happen so fast like I don't know like if the Mace came out first or the shot," he told detectives. "But it seem like it happen simultaneously — boom - boom - boom - boom — and then I'm blinded you know so I couldn't see anything."
Dozens of officers ran toward the gunfire at the north end of the parking lot.
"Shots fired, shots fired," an officer yelled over the radio.
Police officers from the Eastern, Northern and Northeastern districts raced to Select Lounge, just west of downtown. By now, they knew one of their own had been gravely wounded.
One officer pleaded over the air for word on Torbit: "OK, get his information for me please. I'm sure some family members up there, um, what's his condition?"
Another officer answered: "Well, they were working on his chest when they were bringing him in. I, I don't know."
One minute and 25 seconds elapsed between the time the car struck Graves and an officer fired the final shot. Gamble was shot just 49 seconds after he confronted Torbit. There were 12 seconds between Darrell Baker's punch that struck Torbit and the firing of the first gunshot.
"About six seconds later," a homicide detective wrote in his report, "all the shooting is over."
peter.hermann@baltsun.com
Excerpts from police communication
Caller to 911: "They got a fight in front of Select Club that's on Paca Street."
Police dispatcher: "Can you send units to Paca Street."
Officer: "I'm almost there."
Another officer: "I'm responding."
Officer: "They got one in custody and security trying to locate the group."
Dispatcher: "Everyone OK at Paca and Franklin? Can anyone advise if everything OK on Paca?"
Officer: "Everything fine with that police officer. Just keep a couple units coming up."
(Later:)
Officer: "Got another fight. Big fight."
Officer: "Signal 13, 13." (Code for a distress call.)
Officer: "Ah, shots fired, shots fired."
Dispatcher: "Signal 13, shots fired Paca and Franklin. Unit says …"
Officer: "We need a medic. It's an off-duty police officer. Paca and Franklin. Paca and Franklin. Officer down."
Source: Baltimore Police Department
