Police Fatally Shoot Man In Harwood, Prosecutors Make Decision On Charges: Report

HARWOOD, MD - Prosecutors decided not to press charges against the police officers accused of fatally shooting an armed man last year in Harwood, a press release announced Friday.  

Investigators said officers fatally shot 48-year-old Anthony Hopkins Sr. of Harwood during a domestic violence call.

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown's Independent Investigations Division looked into the case and released a report of its findings.

The Anne Arundel County Police Department went to a home in the 4100 block of Sands Road on Sept. 17, 2022 around 2:15 a.m. after getting two calls for domestic violence, the report said.

Investigators said the first caller reported that her husband, identified as Hopkins, tried to kill her by choking her with a string.

The report said the second caller, Hopkins' adult son, told dispatchers that the suspect was outside the home with a gun.

While talking with 911 operators, investigators said the son reported hearing shots fired outside.

Responding officers traveled down the home's driveway and reported hearing several gunshots fired from a wooded area along the driveway, the report said. 

Investigators said some of those shots hit an unoccupied police vehicle.

The report said Hopkins emerged from the woods across the street from the driveway several minutes later.

Hopkins was armed with a long-barreled pistol, investigators said.

The report said police told Hopkins to drop the gun, but he didn't comply and instead raised the firearm in the direction of the officers.

Investigators said several officers fired at Hopkins, but he didn't drop the gun or fall to the ground.

The report said Hopkins again raised the gun toward officers. 

Police again fired at Hopkins, investigators said, bringing him to the ground this time. 

Officers and medics rendered aid, but the report said Hopkins was pronounced dead at the scene.

Medics took the domestic violence victim to a hospital and she was later released, investigators said.

No police officers were hurt.

The report said these five officers fired their service weapons.

• Cpl. Zachary Devers, then a 9.5-year veteran
• Cpl. Brian Dehn, then a 9-year veteran
• Cpl. Kalin Slayton, then a 9.5-year veteran
• Cpl. Jonathan Metcalf, then a 5-year veteran who also has 5 years of experience with another law enforcement agency
• Private First-Class Marina Hanlon, then a 3.5-year veteran

The Independent Investigations Division finished its report on April 10 and forwarded it to the Anne Arundel County State's Attorney's Office the next day. Investigators gave an amended report to the state's attorney on Aug. 2. 

The Anne Arundel County State's Attorney's Office on Aug. 17 notified the attorney general that it would not prosecute the case. 

The full report, which was released Friday, is posted here.

The Independent Investigations Division only gives a report with investigative findings and an analysis of relevant legal issues. The report does not include a recommendation on whether to prosecute the case. The county state's attorney makes that decision. 

That prosecution jurisdiction will change this fall for police-involved cases that result in death or have injuries that are likely to lead to death.

The Independent Investigations Division will take over jurisdiction for those cases that open on or after Oct. 1. This team will decide if a case should be prosecuted, and it will serve as the prosecutor if so.

This map shows the area where investigators said the shooting happened.

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