This is the shocking moment a Baltimore teenager fleeing a police officer spins and points his gun at the cop - only to be shot dead.

The bodycam footage, released by Baltimore Police Department, came at the end of a chase between Detective David Kincaid Jr and Curtis Deal, 18, in West Baltimore on Tuesday.

Police say Deal, who was out on $250,000 bond, jumped out of a car Kincaid was following on Tuesday and ran. Kincaid cut the youth off as he exited an alley, resulting in the violent scene.

Shot: Curtis Deal (left), 18, was shot dead on Tuesday in West Baltimore by a cop. Bodycam footage shows Curtis lifting his pistol at Detective David Kincaid just before he is killed

Deal comes sprinting out of the alley, carrying a large silver pistol in his right hand.

Kincaid shouts for the young man to stop, and raises his sidearm. At precisely the same time, Deal - looking surprised - raises his own gun at the officer.

The bodycam is pointed away from Deal as the four fatal shots are fired. It returns as Deal tumbles to the ground, the pistol clattering away from him. Deal did not fire the weapon.

Kincaid calls in shots fired as another cop approaches Deal. The stricken youth tries to get up briefly, but both police tell him not to move.

Deal was hit in the abdomen, hip and finger, and died of his injuries.

Police Commissioner Kevin Davis said the shooting was justified and praised Kincaid for his bravery, the Baltimore Sun reported.

And in the wake of the teen's death, questions were raised about why Deal - who had been arrested three times on gun or drug charges in the previous month - was out on the street.

'It shows dysfunction, I believe, in our criminal justice system,' said Mayor Catherine Pugh. 'People who have those many gun charges probably should not be on our streets.'

Dead: Deal was hit four times and died. He had been arrested three times in the previous month on gun or drug related charges and was out on $250,000 unsecured bond

On January 4, Deal was charged on four handgun counts, after allegedly throwing down his gun in an alley while being chased by police.

This was the first arrest as an adult for Deal, who had turned 18 in November, and he was forbidden from owning a firearm after a juvenile gun charge.

He posted $100,000 bail and was released, but on January 30 he was arrested again after allegedly being seen dealing drugs, and throwing a bag of heroin under a car.

Last week he was arrested on nine gun and drug charges after being caught running from a location in which drugs were being sold.

On Monday, the day before his death, Deal's lawyer testified that his family were churchgoing people, and that he wanted to join the army to learn engineering.

Judge Nicole Taylor let him out on a $250,000 unsecured bond - meaning that he did not need to pay any money before being released - and gave him a curfew.

'I'm giving you an opportunity to go to school and not be in jail pending this trial,' she told him. 'The curfew is 1pm, 7 days a week.' He confirmed he understood.

As he left the court, she told him: 'Best of luck to you, Mr Deal.'