Baltimore ER Closed After Shot Fired During Struggle

Dec. 06--A bullet grazed the leg of a Baltimore County police officer Wednesday when her weapon discharged during a struggle at University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center, police said Thursday.

The suspect, Brian Dargan, 30, will be served charges of attempted first-degree murder and attempted second-degree escape upon his release from the Towson hospital, police said. Dargan is being held on $25,000 bail for unrelated burglary charges and was brought to St. Joseph from U.S. District Court for medical treatment. Police did not know a permanent address for Dargan.

Police did not name the female officer involved in the shooting, but provided a more detailed account of the incident, which closed the hospital's emergency department to new patients for several hours.

As a hospital employee examined Dargan, his left hand cuffed to a gurney railing, she noticed a needle hidden in Dargan's clothing, police said. When she reached to take it, Dargan grabbed her arm, but she was able to pull away, police said. The employee said she then saw Dargan hide something in his long hair, which is in dreadlocks.

The officer struggled with Dargan, who was attempting to free himself from the gurney, and Dargan was able to take the officer's weapon, police said. The gun fired once during the struggle, but then jammed, police said.

A hospital security officer was able to take the gun out of Dargan's hand, and the officer used pepper spray to subdue Dargan, police said.

The gun fired into the wall, but police later found that the bullet had traveled through the officer's pants and grazed her right leg. The officer did not need medical treatment, police said.

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