State's Attorney to Investigate Fifth Baltimore Officer-Involved Shooting of 2026

Tavon Newton was running from officers near Wilson and Brunt streets in Upton when a detective monitoring CCTV footage tracked his movements and directed patrol to cut him off. The foot pursuit ended minutes later in a parking lot off the 1700 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, where Western District Officer Devon Gubbar fired a single shot at approximately 12:15 p.m. on April 2.

Newton, 35, is listed in stable condition at an area hospital. BPD says Newton refused to relinquish a black sling bag and allegedly grabbed one of the officers' tasers during the struggle before Gubbar fired. Police also say Newton was armed with a knife and a gun. Over a dozen police vehicles descended on the scene, shutting down a stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue near Avenue Market.

The Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office confirmed it will conduct an independent review to determine whether Gubbar's use of force was lawful or whether criminal charges are warranted, with BPD's Special Investigation Response Team working in coordination. Mayor Brandon Scott said the city will "cooperate fully with the investigation and follow internal investigation protocols," and added: "Whatever the circumstances, any incident like this, traumatizes our community."

This is the fifth officer-involved shooting in Baltimore in 2026. Three of those five have been fatal; Newton's was not. In 2025, four people died in BPD-involved incidents: Jai Marc Howell, Bilal "BJ" Abdullah, Pytorcarcha Brooks, and Dontae Melton Jr.

The independent review carries particular weight in Upton. Police Scorecard data covering 2013 to 2023 shows a Black person in Baltimore was 4.1 times as likely to be killed by police as a White person, and between 2016 and 2020, only 14% of civilian complaints against BPD were ruled in favor of civilians. BPD remains under a federal consent decree stemming from the 2015 death of Freddie Gray, though it reached full compliance with the consent decree's Transport and Health and Wellness sections as of mid-2025.

The next steps in the investigation include review of body-worn camera footage, witness interviews, and physical evidence. A formal charging decision, internal discipline referral, or closure with no charges each carry distinct consequences for Newton's case and for the accountability standard Upton residents have demanded for years.