WOODLAWN, Md. (NewsNation Now) — Maryland police Friday released dramatic bodycam footage after a shooting and house fire left one injured and four people dead, including the suspected shooter.
The violence allegedly erupted after years of disputes with neighbors, who said Everton Brown, 56, believed law enforcement authorities were invading his property.
The following footage may be disturbing to watch. Viewer discretion is advised.
According to Baltimore County police, a preliminary investigation indicates 56-year-old Everton Brown forced his way into a neighboring house on May 8, where he stabbed and shot Ismael Quintanilla, 41.
As Sara Alacote, 37, ran from that home in an attempt to escape, Brown chased her outside, fatally shooting her several times, the news release said. When two neighbors emerged from their home, Brown shot them as well, according to police.
One of those two, 24-year-old Sagar Ghimire, was later pronounced dead, the news release said. The other gunshot victim, who was not identified, is recovering from his injuries.
At some point during the course of events, Brown also set fire to his residence, police said. The scene was a charred mess — a fire official said Saturday that the building where the fire started, as well as one adjacent to it, collapsed and a third dwelling was heavily damaged.
Police received numerous calls reporting both the fire and an active shooter. Responding officers who were wearing body cameras encountered Brown in the parking lot, police said.
Four fired shots at him until they were able to take him into custody, according to the news release. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Investigators later found several homemade explosive devices in one of Brown’s two vehicles, police said. They also recovered a handgun and large knife.
Police said Brown had interactions with patrol officers, outreach officers and the crisis intervention team over more than 30 years, Col. Andre Davis said. Neighbors described threatening, erratic behavior and Davis said three peace orders had been filed against him.
In 2013, neighbors told dispatchers Brown threatened them through a bullhorn and said they were “concerned someone will get hurt.”
Records show that Brown had contacted 911 dispatchers at least 120 times over the last 24 years, a local newspaper reported.
According to a list of calls obtained by the Baltimore Sun, Brown initiated most of the calls for service to his home, including one call reporting a tooth he had kept wrapped in tissue had been stolen and another accusing the FBI of cutting his grass and entering his home. Brown would go months without a call to authorities, then call several times over multiple weeks.
Police checked on Brown’s welfare at least eight times.
Neighbors have asked why police didn’t do more to intervene, given long-running complaints from neighbors. Citing privacy law, police declined to provide details about any interventions, including whether he had ever been taken for an emergency evaluation.
Reporting by AP’s Brian Witte and Sarah Rankin. The Associated Press contributed to this report.