Baltimore County police chief Jim Johnson has decided that the department will not release the name of the officer who fatally shot Korryn Gaines in a standoff in Randallstown.
Johnson said he made the decision based on safety concerns. According to police, the Baltimore County police department has received an unprecedented number of threats against police, including threats and actions against individual officers.
He said Gaines' anti-government sentiment was also a factor in his decision. Thirdly, Johnson said that the current national climate was a significant factor.
"We constantly balance the need for transparency with the need to protect investigations and safety," Johnson said in a statement."This is a situation where I feel we must err on the side of safety."
Baltimore County police department's standard procedure is to release the names of officers involved in shootings 48 hours after the incident.
Gaines was fatally shot by police Monday after an hours long standoff.
See also: Police identify woman fatally shot in standoff' child suffered gunshot wound
