Man Shot After Fleeing Traffic Stop on West Franklin Street
A Central District officer fired into a vehicle after being dragged during a traffic stop on West Franklin Street late on January 7, leaving a 29-year-old driver wounded and later charged. The Special Investigations Response Team is investigating and the department has activated its Public Release of Critical Incident Recordings Policy, matters that bear on community safety and police accountability in Baltimore.
On the evening of January 7, at approximately 9:18 p.m., a Central District officer stopped a vehicle in the 300 block of West Franklin Street after identifying a suspended registration tag. While returning the driver’s license and registration, the officer observed a firearm tucked into the driver’s waistband and issued verbal commands, advising he would reach into the vehicle to remove the weapon.
As the officer reached into the car, the driver fled the scene and dragged the officer as the vehicle moved. While being dragged, the officer discharged at least one round into the vehicle. The officer fell to the ground as the car continued away from the scene and sustained minor injuries; he was transported to a local hospital and has since been released.
The driver, identified as 29-year-old Marquise Wells, drove himself to an area hospital seeking treatment for at least one gunshot wound. Wells was released from the hospital, interviewed by detectives, and transported to the Central Booking Intake Facility. He faces charges including First and Second-Degree Assault and Reckless Endangerment, along with additional charges.
Investigators from the Special Investigations Response Team (SIRT) have taken over the investigation, a standard procedure when a use-of-force incident involves a firearm discharged by an officer. The department has also activated its Public Release of Critical Incident Recordings Policy, a move intended to provide transparency to the public as the review proceeds.
For residents of Baltimore, the incident raises immediate questions about street safety, traffic stops and the procedures officers follow when they encounter firearms. It also underscores the mechanisms for independent review and public disclosure that the department employs after critical incidents. Neighbors and those who may have witnessed the event are asked to come forward with information to assist investigators.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7-LOCKUP. Media inquiries may be directed to Media Relations at mediarelations@baltimorepolice.org or by phone at 410-396-2012.
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