(Updated 1:56 p.m.)—A Baltimore City police officer has been indicted in Baltimore County on misdemeanor charges of second-degree assault and reckless endangerment, the Baltimore County State's Attorney's office said.
Officer William S. Kern, 46, allegedly shot a University of Maryland Baltimore police trainee in the head during a training exercise at the Rosewood Center in Owings Mills in February. The grand jury indictment identifies the trainee as Raymond Northern Gray.
Gray was critically injured.
"We continue to cooperate with all outside agencies involved in this extensive investigation," city Police Commissioner Anthony W. Batts said in a statment.
"Meanwhile, as we come to grips with this terrible incident, our own comprehensive evaluation of our policies and procedures and internal investigations are ongoing. When we fall short, we will not only hold ourselves accountable; but will take the necessary time, care and caution required to restore the public’s confidence in our department."
If Kern is convicted, the assault charge could carry up to 10 years in prison; the maximum sentence for reckless endangerment is five years, according to the state's attorney's office.
In a statement, the office said an arrest warrant has been issued for Kern, who has been with the Baltimore Police Department since Nov. 7, 1994. The state's attorney's office has asked Baltimore City police to "suspend any Internal Affairs’ investigation until the completion of the criminal case," the statement reads.
On Tuesday, Feb. 12, around 2:30 p.m. Gray was shot in the front of the head allegedly by Kern during a traning exercise at facility in Owings Mills, where the Baltimore Police Department trains various law enforcement agencies.
The Baltimore Sun reported that top Baltimore police commanders, including the director of the training academy, did not know training exercises were happening in Owings Mills that day.
During a news conference on the night of Feb. 12, Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony Batts said the incident was unacceptable and announced that all police academy operations and training exercises were suspended until a safety evaluation was completed. Batts did not answer a question about why live ammunition was used during the exercise.
UMD Baltimore Police Chief Antonio Williams told reporters that Gray came to his organization in July 2012 and this is his first police job.
Owings Mills-Reisterstown Patch Editor Marc Shapiro contributed to this report.