Mayor Orders Independent Probe In Officer's Shooting

Baltimore City Police Department

Officer William Torbit Jr.

BALTIMORE -- Baltimore's mayor has ordered an independent review of the shooting that led to friendly fire killing a plain-clothes police officer, but the city's police union said they believe that decision might be premature.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said she's very concerned about the shooting that killed Officer William Torbit Jr. and a civilian, 22-year-old Sean Gamble, on Sunday.

Police said 41 shots were fired during a melee outside Select Lounge. All the bullets came from the five police officers at the scene, including Torbit, who sources said was shot up to 20 times.

"If you take five officers and you divide it, it's not that many rounds because we're taught to shoot multiple times -- shoot to incapacitate. So, the men and women who were on the scene that night, they were doing what they were trained to do," said Fraternal Order of Police Vice President Gene Ryan.

On Wednesday, the mayor ordered an outside agency to review the shooting.

"There are a lot of questions. I have questions, and there are questions from people all over this city. I'm convinced the (police) commissioner will answer those questions, and he'll do so quickly. We'll also make sure it's accurate," Rawlings-Blake said.

Ryan said the mayor's call is premature and it seems to imply there's a chance of a cover-up if only city police investigate.

"They're not going to cover up anything or hide anything. I'm not worried about that at all," he said. "I think the mayor needs to give us a chance to do our jobs. We've been doing it for a long time."

Sources said when Torbit responded to the scene, he had his badge on a chain around his neck, and during the scuffle, the badge was ripped off. It was later found under a nearby car.

Police said the other officers had no idea he was one of their own.

The department has ordered all officers except those undercover to be in some type of uniform while it reviews its uniform policy.

"Under the circumstances, I think that's a great idea right now," Ryan said. "It eliminates that whole factor of not knowing who's on scene and who isn't."

It's not clear which outside agency will conduct the independent investigation.

Meanwhile, Torbit's funeral is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 19, at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen.