Police officer said he opened fire with his service weapon after man approached him and produced a gun and in a robbery attempt

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

A man was killed after he allegedly attempted to rob an off-duty Baltimore city police officer with a toy gun – and was shot by the officer.

The Anne Arundel County police department said in a statement that officers were called early on Saturday to Homewood Road in Linthicum Heights for a reported shooting.

An off-duty Baltimore city police officer told police that a man approached him, produced a gun and tried to rob him. The officer said he opened fire with his service weapon.

Police identified the deceased as 32-year-old Edel Cato Moreland and said the gun they found at the scene was a realistic-looking toy gun.

Authorities said the officer was an 18-year-veteran assigned to the special operations section. Police did not release the races of either man.