A machete-wielding man who was suspected of shoplifting at a local retail outlet died Wednesday from a gunshot wound fired by pursuing officers in Randallstown, county police said.
Emanuel David Joshua Oates, 24, was pointed out as a suspect to a nearby police officer by an employee of a Dollar Tree around 4:17 p.m. yesterday at the Liberty Court Shopping Center in the 8600 block of Liberty Road, police said.
Officers pursued him to investigate, but Oates continued walking away, eventually pulling out a machete to swing at them, police said. Police said they told Oates to drop the weapon as he fled into the Aldi grocery store, but instead he advanced toward them. Two officers each fired a shot at Oates, hitting him at least once in the upper body, according to police.
Oates was in critical condition and died later that day at an area hospital, police said.
The investigation remains ongoing by detectives from the Baltimore County Police Homicide Unit, police said.
–Morgan Wenerick