Officer who shot shoplifting suspect won’t be charged

The Baltimore County police officer who shot a shoplifting suspect July 3 in Rosedale will not be charged, according to the state’s attorney for Baltimore County. A Baltimore County grand jury declined to charge Officer 1st Class McCain after hearingthefactsofthecaseandviewingbodycamera footage from the incident on Wednesday, according to a news release from Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott D. Shellenberger’s office. McCain, a 17-year veteran of the Baltimore County Police Department, shot Micah Tucker, 38, who was sitting in the passenger seat of what police said was a stolen SUV driven by 32-year-old Robyn Slack of Cedmont. It is at least the second time McCain has shot a shoplifting suspect. He fatally shot a man who was allegedly attempting to steal detergent from a Giant Food in Catonsville in 2017, and was also involved in a nonfatal shooting in 2006. He was suspended with pay at the time of the incident, police said. It was unclear if he had returned to work as of July 18. “As with any police-involved shooting, the police departmentwillconductanadministrativereviewof all of the officers’ actions who were involved in this incident,” said Cpl. Shawn Vinson, a spokesman for the Police Department. McCain was not hurt in the July 3 incident. Shellenberger declined to say whether his office sought charges against McCain. “We decided to let the grand jury make the decision. So they heard the facts and we were leaving it up to them,” he said. “We thought it would be important for the public to know that an independent group of Baltimore County citizens made the decision.” Although no charges were filed against McCain, Shellenberger said his office will not release McCain’s body camera footage to the public because cases are still open against Tucker and Slack, and it could prejudice juries. Tucker waschargedwithtwo counts of theft less than $100, and Slack was charged with second-degree assault and two counts of theft less than $100, court records show. Tucker was released, and Slack is being held without bail at the Baltimore County Detention Center. Attorneys for TuckerandSlackwerenotlistedincourtdocuments.