A police officer from Maryland has been charged with murder after he allegedly shot and killed a handcuffed suspect who was sitting in the front seat of a police car. Earlier in the week, deputies from the Prince George's County Police Department responded to a report that a driver had struck multiple cars with his vehicle. When officers arrived, they encountered William Green and believed he was high on PCP.
They detained Green and placed him in the front seat of the cruiser while waiting for a drug detection dog to arrive. At some point, Michael Owen, a 10-year-veteran of the department, got in the driver's seat of the police car and fired seven shots at Green. Officers began life-saving treatment on Green, and he was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. Owen was not wearing a body camera at the time, and investigators said that they were unable to corroborate witness reports that Green and Owen were engaged in a struggle in the police car before he opened fire.
"I am unable to come to the community and provide a reasonable explanation for the events that occurred last night," Prince George's County Police Chief Henry P. Stawinski said. "I have concluded what happened last night was a crime."
Owen, who was placed on administrative leave following the shooting, was taken into custody and charged with murder, manslaughter, and associated weapons charges.
Photo: Prince George's County Police Department