Police rushed to the corner of Pennsylvania and North Ave. Monday. Fox News initially reported a man was shot. Police officials later said that report was unfounded.
Fox News reported that a producer saw a police officer shoot a man. The same producer later reversed that statement, saying he did not see it. That was after police said this:
The reports of a man being shot at North and Pennsylvania Ave are NOT true. Officers have arrested a man for a handgun at the location
— Baltimore Police (@BaltimorePolice) May 4, 2015
UPDATE: The reports of a shooting at North Ave/ Pennsylvania Ave are unfounded. Officers have arrested a man with a gun.
— Baltimore Police (@BaltimorePolice) May 4, 2015
According to Media-ite, Fox News’ Shep Smith immediately issued an on-air retraction:
“And now something has been created there that is wrong, and unnecessary. We were wrong. Our people on scene were wrong. Theirs was an error that was honest and straightforward and our duty as journalists is not to make mistakes and when we make mistakes we are duty-bound to correct them immediately and as clearly as possible.”
According to WBAL, a police official later told the assembled media that police were arresting the man because he was pulling out a gun. During the encounter, the man pulled out a gun and it discharged. However, the shot did not hit anyone, police said.
According to the Baltimore Sun, police said the man was taken to the hospital “out of an abundance of caution.”
The West Baltimore corner was at the center of violence in Baltimore a week ago Monday as anger mounted over the death of Freddie Gray. This Monday, the National Guard is drawing down its presence in the city, and a citywide curfew was lifted on Sunday.
