Baltimore, MD - A man was shot and killed by police in Southwest Baltimore on Tuesday afternoon after allegedly pointing a gun at officers, according to authorities.

The incident occurred around 12:30 p.m. when officers attempted to stop the armed individual, who was standing on Brunswick Street. Upon being approached, the man fled on foot down Wilkens Avenue. Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley revealed that during the pursuit, an officer attempted to tackle the suspect but accidentally fell into a set of stairs. It was at this point that the unidentified man pointed his gun at the officer.

Multiple officers on the scene responded by firing shots, fearing for their safety. Worley clarified that it has not yet been confirmed whether the suspect had discharged his weapon at the time. Body-worn camera footage is currently being reviewed to determine if shots were fired.

Following the exchange, the injured suspect was transported to Shock Trauma, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Worley emphasized that initial reports led the police to believe that one of their own had been shot, but thankfully, it was determined that the officer had only sustained minor injuries and was treated and released from the hospital.

A handgun with an extended magazine was recovered at the scene by police. Relatives of the deceased man reported speaking to local news outlet WJZ, confirming their connection to the individual involved in the incident.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, who arrived at the scene, expressed his condolences to the community and praised the police officers for their actions. Scott also acknowledged the larger issue of gun violence in the city and called for stronger measures to combat the flow of firearms into the community.

When questioned about the initial reason for stopping the suspect, Commissioner Worley explained that officers regularly patrol the area due to previous incidents of violence.

"This is a - I don't want to say a high crime area, but we've had several shootings in this area, and [officers] were doing proactive patrol, which our members are out doing every single day," Worley stated.

The incident remains under investigation as authorities continue to gather evidence and analyze the body-worn camera footage. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.