Aberdeen police identify officer who wounded man
Aberdeen police on Sunday identified an officer who on Friday shot and injured a man who wielded a comb police believed was a knife. Police said Cpl. James Evans fired at Tyler Winkler, striking him several times, after Winkler charged at officers with what they believed was a “shank”style weapon, the department said in a statement. Officers later determined the weapon was a comb. Winkler, 23, is in stable condition at the University of Maryland Medical Center, police said. Evans has been an officer with Aberdeen for 11 years, and worked in law enforcement for a total of 19 years. He previously worked for the Maryland Transportation Authority Police. Police said Friday that Evans had been placed on paid administrative leave. The incident began just before 11 a.m. Friday outside a building in the Affinity Old Post Road apartment complex, in the 100 block of Hamilton Place. Police said Winkler entered the complex’s management office and acted agitated before allegedly threatening to kill someone in the office. He then left the office, police said. Officers went to the scene and found Winkler, but waited to pursue him until another officer who had a Taser arrived. Winkler was Tasered, but unaffected, police said. Police believed Winkler had a knife and then came after the officers, when Evans shot him, police said. The suspected knife turned out to be a comb. As of Sunday, Winkler had not been charged.