Montgomery County police detectives have completed their investigation of an officer shooting a driver in a Silver Spring parking lot in November, leaving prosecutors to determine if the action was lawful.
On Nov. 5, Officer Todd Archer, a 10-year veteran of the police department, was the first officer to arrive at Stoneymill Square shopping center after a man who reported a Cadillac Escalade was ramming his car while he was in it.
Archer shot once, hitting the 52-year-old man driving the Escalade. Police have not released the man’s identity.
The man was taken to a hospital with serious injuries and was later released. Archer was placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure during an investigation of that type.
Police announced in a press release Tuesday afternoon that their investigation has concluded after reviewing body camera and security camera footage; interviewing the man who was shot, his family and the 911 caller; collecting other evidence and sending all of the information they gathered to the Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Montgomery and Howard counties agreed in 2015 to review shootings by police in each other’s jurisdictions to provide more transparency and independence.
The Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office will now determine whether the officer acted lawfully or if the investigation will be brought before a Montgomery County grand jury.