Michael DeAndre Ford, 22, wanted to die Sunday afternoon, authorities charge. So, officials say, he videotaped a last will and testament and drove with his brothers—Elijah Ford, 18, and Malik Ford, 21—to the Prince George's County police headquarters in Landover, Md., and opened fire on both the police station and passing cars. Authorities say that both brothers knew of Michael Ford’s plan, which was to be killed in a shooting. Police say that at least one of the brothers filmed the incident.
“That individual videotaped it as if it’s a game, as if it’s something we’re going to put on YouTube and glorify,” John Teletchea of the Maryland Fraternal Order of Police told NBC 4.
The shootout left Police Officer 1st Class Jacai Colson, 28, dead, and Michael Ford injured. Police are now reporting that Colson died after being accidentally hit by gunfire from another officer, NBC 4 reports.
"Seeing a shooter, he took action and demonstrated extreme heroism," Police Chief Hank Stawinski said of Colson during a press conference Monday evening, NBC reports.
“Detective Colson drew fire to himself and in doing so was mortally wounded. Circumstantially, we believe that the shot that killed Detective Colson was fired by a fellow Prince George’s County police officer, reacting to this,” the police chief said.
Stawinski said that Michael Ford, who is expected to recover, has a history of mental illness. NBC 4 reports that all “three Ford brothers will be charged with second-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, use of a handgun in the commission of a felony and other charges.”
Read more at NBC 4.