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Two sheriff's deputies killed in shopping center

Posted at 11:39 PM, Feb 10, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-11 06:17:44-05

It was a tragedy that unfolded in 15 minutes.  Just before noon Wednesday, the Panera Bread in the Boulevard at Box Hill shopping center was packed with customers, including 15-year-old Sophia Faulkner and her mom.

"The guy was sitting towards the back, and we almost actually sat down right next to him," Sophia said.

She's talking about suspect David Evans.  Sophia and her mother Lynn say they avoided sitting near him because he looked sketchy and disheveled.  Not long after, a Harford County Sheriff's Deputy showed up.

"The sheriff came up to check the man, and say hi how are you because he's a frequent visitor in there," said Lynn Faulkner.

"All of the sudden I heard this loud like popping noise, like almost, like at first I thought it was a glass breaking," Sophia said.

It was a single gunshot.
 
Witnesses say Evans ran out the back of the eatery, and inside the restaurant it was horrific.

"It probably was a man who knew what he was doing with a gun, because he shot directly into his head, I mean the man did not have a chance," Lynn said.

"I looked out and saw the guy fall back on his chair, and like the blood started coming out," said Sophia.

The Harford County Sheriff says the Deputy was sent to Panera specifically for Evans after getting a tip call.  We're told the 68-year-old had an open warrant in the County for a civil matter, and one in Florida for assaulting an officer.

"I believe certainly the first Deputy who went to respond to the call for service, I think the suspect took that action because he was wearing a police uniform," Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said.

Officers were able to track Evans down, where we're told shots were fired.  A second deputy was hit by one of his bullets, and Evans was killed.

"A loaded handgun was recovered from inside the vehicle with him," Gahler said.

One deputy was rushed to Upper Chesapeake Medical Center, and the other was flown to Shock Trauma.  They both died from their injuries.

"It's very disturbing, very, very disturbing," Eric Young said.  "Not something you hear in your own backyard, you hear it on the news all the time but it's not something you're used to hearing daily."

Wednesday night people started dropping off flowers at the Panera Bread, a growing memorial to the two officers who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

The two Deputies who fired at Evans have been placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues.
   
The Sheriff says it's incredibly lucky that no one else was hurt.

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