Saturday June 5 2010
De. Man made false 911 call to Elkton Police
A Delaware man who made a false 911 call early Saturday morning was fatally wounded after he exchanged gunfire with responding police officers.
The man is identified as Dwayne M. Williams, 30. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The two Elkton Police Department officers involved in the shooting are not being identified by their department at this time. One is an 11-year police veteran with three years of service in Elkton. The other has been an officer for 16 years, including 14 with the Elkton Police Department.
Elkton Police Chief William Ryan Sr. requested the police involved shooting be investigated by the Maryland State Police. Investigators from the State Police Homicide Unit responded and are conducting the investigation. A member of the Cecil County State’s Attorney’s Office also responded to the scene and has been briefed on the investigation.
The preliminary investigation indicates that shortly after 12:00 a.m. Saturday, a 911 call was received in Cecil County from a male caller who said there was a man with a gun in the parking lot of the North Side Pharmacy, in the 700-block of North Bridge Street, in Elkton. He requested police respond to the scene.
Two Elkton Police Department officers responded. The first officer to arrive saw a pickup truck parked in the lot with a male occupant, later identified as Williams. Moments later, the second officer pulled into the lot and saw Williams holding a gun as he got out of his truck. The officer yelled a warning to the first officer at the scene, as both officers saw Williams raise his gun and point it at the first officer.
In fear for their lives, both Elkton officers fired their department-issued Sig Sauer .45 caliber pistols. Williams fired his gun at the first officer. Williams was wounded and police immediately summoned emergency medical services personnel. Williams was determined to be deceased at the scene. Neither officer was struck by gunfire in the exchange.
State Police investigators found a 9mm semi-automatic handgun beside Williams at the scene. They also found Williams’ cell phone at the scene and verified the call to 911 came from his phone.
Maryland State Police investigators worked with police in Delaware to locate Williams’ parents, who were his closest relatives. During a search of Williams’s residence, where he lived alone, troopers found an apparent suicide note.
Williams’ body has been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy. At this time, police do not know the motive for his actions or what his connection to Elkton was.
Both officers have been placed on routine administrative leave by Chief Ryan, which is procedure, pending the outcome of the investigation by State Police. The investigation is continuing.
Cecil County Examiner 