Who Is Korryn Gaines? And Why Did Baltimore Police Kill Her And Wound Her Young Son?

Korryn Gaines is a Maryland woman who was shot dead by Baltimore County Police. Her 5-year-old son was also shot and wounded during a shootout. Gaines was involved in an hours-long standoff with police.

Gaines, 23, of Randallstown, was pronounced dead after being shot in the head. Her young son suffered non-life-threatening injuries. It is not yet known if the boy was shot by officers or by Gaines, according to police.

Police said Gaines was armed with a “long gun” and exchanged fire with officers after several hours of negotiations. Gaines was wanted on failure to appear warrants for an “array of traffic charges” stemming from a March 2016 traffic stop. The charges also included disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Police were also serving a warrant on an man who lived with Gaines, Kareem Kiean Courtney, 39, who they say was wanted for assault. He was taken into custody after fleeing from the apartment with a 1-year-old boy. He was charged with second-degree assault and released on his own recognizance, police said.

The officers involved in the shooting have not yet been identified publicly and the investigation into the shooting is “active” and “ongoing,” police said.

Police Say an Officer Opened Fire After Gaines Said ‘If You Don’t Leave, I’m Going to Kill You’

Baltimore County Police officers went to Korryn Gaines’ apartment on Sulky Court in Randallstown about 9:20 a.m. Monday to serve arrest warrants, according to the police press release.

The officers included several “warrant squad members” and a uniformed officer, Police Chief Jim Johnson said at a press conference. He did not say how many officers were in the group serving the warrant.

Police said the officers knocked on the door of the apartment and identified themselves as police. The department spokesperson described in the press release what they say happened next:

No one answered the door, but the officers heard the voices of a man and woman coming from inside the apartment, which they knew to be the address of the subjects. They also heard a child crying. After five to 10 minutes, one of the officers obtained a key to the apartment from the landlord and used it to open the door. The officer saw a woman sitting on the floor and pointing a long gun at him; this woman matched a photo of the woman sought in the warrant.

The officers retreated to the hallway outside the apartment and called for additional support. The male suspect ran from the apartment with a 1-year-old boy — one of two children in in the apartment with the couple — and was apprehended by police. The armed woman remained inside with the 5-year-old boy, and a barricade situation began at about 9:40 a.m. and continued throughout the afternoon. The apartment building was evacuated to protect the safety of the other residents.

Johnson said the officers repeatedly identified themselves as police. SWAT and other specialty officers were also called to the scene.

Police negotiators talked to Gaines during the barricade, encouraging her to “surrender peacefully,” according to the release.

“She refused and pointed the long gun at tactical officers several times. There was a clear line of sight from where the officers were staged in the hallway through the open door to where Gaines was positioned inside the apartment,” police said.

Johnson said his officers showed “great restraint during this dialogue.”

At 3 p.m., after several hours of negotiations, police said Gaines pointed her weapon “directly at a tactical officer,” and told him, “If you don’t leave, I’m going to kill you.” h/t theheavy

An officer, ”fearing for the officers’ lives” opened fire, police said. Gaines returned fire once, according to police. She shot twice, but did not hit any of the officers, police said. Officers fired again, and Gaines was shot multiple times. She died at the scene.