In the ongoing trial of David Linthicum, who faces charges of attempted murder for the February 2023 shooting of two Baltimore County police officers, jurors were presented with graphic evidence, including videos and images depicting the violent encounters.
Linthicum, accused of shooting Officers Barry Jordan and Jonathan Chih, allegedly opened fire during two separate confrontations, leaving the officers with life-threatening injuries and sparking a massive manhunt.
The prosecution’s case centers around body-worn camera footage that shows both encounters with Linthicum, a man described by his father as being in a mental health crisis.
The incident began when Linthicum’s father, John, called the police to their home in Cockeysville, Maryland, requesting help as his son was armed and suicidal.
When officers arrived, they attempted to talk to Linthicum, who was reportedly sitting in his basement with an AR-15 rifle.
As officers tried to de-escalate the situation, Linthicum opened fire, hitting Officer Barry Jordan. “David, are you going to shoot me?” his father asked before shots rang out.
Officers quickly retreated, with one calling for medical assistance after realizing Jordan had been shot.
Officer Jordan was later transported to a waiting ambulance.
Following the initial shooting, Linthicum fled, and a manhunt involving over 500 officers ensued.
The next day, while the search was still underway, Baltimore County Detective Jonathan Chih encountered a person walking along Warren Road in the dark.
Chih, who had just finished his shift at the Woodlawn precinct, stopped to check on the individual.
According to testimony, the man, later identified as Linthicum, asked, “Are you trying to kill me?” before opening fire, striking Chih multiple times.
During emotional testimony, Detective Chih described the terrifying moments of the shooting, saying it felt like he had been “punched in the face” and that he couldn’t move. “It felt like a bad nightmare. I couldn’t get up, and I couldn’t do anything,” Chih said, recalling his fear that he might never see his family again. “The next thing I thought was, whoever it was was going to stand over me and shoot me.”
Chih managed to return fire, but Linthicum fled the scene in Chih’s unmarked police truck.
Chih, severely injured, was rescued by fellow officers and taken to Shock Trauma in Baltimore.
Despite his injuries, he testified that he believed Linthicum was still at his home, according to earlier police radio chatter.
The encounter lasted less than 30 seconds but left Chih with life-threatening injuries.
During the trial, defense attorneys raised questions about the police’s handling of both the initial call to Linthicum’s home and the manhunt.
Deborah Katz Levi, Linthicum’s attorney, criticized the police response, suggesting that officers should have handled the situation differently, given Linthicum’s mental health crisis.
She questioned why a crisis intervention team had not been dispatched and why officers confronted Linthicum while he was armed.
Levi also challenged Detective Chih’s decision to stop and approach a suspicious person alone during the manhunt.
She pressed Chih on whether the police used proper procedures such as “time and space” and whether they had “engaged immediately” in a potentially dangerous situation.
Chih admitted that in hindsight, he might have acted differently that night. “I could’ve done a lot of things differently that night,” Chih said.
The defense also questioned the handling of evidence after Linthicum’s eventual capture in Harford County.
Linthicum was arrested without further incident, but defense attorneys suggested that evidence, including a weapon stored in Chih’s truck, had not been properly documented before it was removed from the vehicle.
In addition to questioning the police response, the defense has been critical of the judge presiding over the trial, accusing him of bias in favor of the prosecution.
They have asked for the judge’s recusal, but the request was denied.
Detective Chih’s testimony and the body camera footage have been central to the prosecution’s case against Linthicum.
The footage captured the chaos and violence of both encounters, with officers scrambling for cover as Linthicum fired multiple rounds.
In total, Linthicum is accused of firing 16 shots during the first encounter and 14 during the second.
Following his recovery, Detective Chih was honored for his bravery and remains on administrative duty due to the severity of his injuries.
Officer Barry Jordan, who was shot in the initial confrontation, also survived and was praised for ensuring the safety of Linthicum’s father before being transported to the hospital.
The trial has revealed simmering tensions between the prosecution and defense, with both sides vigorously defending their positions.
Prosecutors argue that Linthicum’s actions were deliberate and that he posed a significant threat to the officers and the public.
The defense, however, maintains that the police response was flawed and that Linthicum’s mental health crisis should have been handled with greater care.
The jury has seen graphic evidence, including Detective Chih’s bloody glasses and service weapon, as well as the rifle used by Linthicum.
Despite the intensity of the case, the defense continues to challenge the prosecution’s narrative, focusing on procedural errors and questioning the decisions made by law enforcement throughout the incident.
As the trial continues, the jury will have to weigh the evidence and determine whether Linthicum is guilty of the charges, which include attempted first-degree murder, recklessly endangering safety, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Linthicum remains jailed on a $1 million cash bond as the case proceeds in Baltimore County court.