Maryland Governor Sends State Troopers to Baltimore Protests

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said Thursday he sent state police troopers to Baltimore as protests over a man’s death following an injury in police custody heat up.

“People legitimately have concerns, and the community is out in force protesting,” Hogan said, The Baltimore Sun reports. “I want to thank the folks involved in that. So far it has been peaceful. We want to try to keep things under control. The last thing we need is more violence in Baltimore City.”

Protests have popped up in Baltimore in the past few days as investigations continue into Gray’s case. The 25-year-old died Sunday after suffering an injury during an arrest on April 12, but exactly how he sustained the fatal injury—his spine was 80% “severed at the neck,” a family attorney said earlier—remains a mystery.

Thirty-two troopers reached Baltimore on Thursday afternoon to support and assist police, who Hogan said will continue to be at the protests, after the city requested state help.

While speaking to reporters in Annapolis, Hogan also expressed support for a recently passed police body-camera bill. “Having the real evidence of of exactly what happened, having everything videotaped, is a step in the right direction,” he said.

Several videos of the arrest have emerged in the wake of Gray’s death. One witness said he saw officers have Gray “folded up like a crab.”

[Baltimore Sun]