In the early hours of a Sunday morning in January 2011, a chaotic scene unfolded outside a Baltimore nightclub that resulted in the tragic death of 33-year-old William Henry Torbit Jr., a plainclothes police officer. The events of January 9, 2011, began when Officer Torbit, an eight-year veteran of the Baltimore City Police Department, responded to a disturbance call at the Select Lounge on North Paca Street.
While attempting to disperse a crowd and break up a fight between several women in the parking lot, Torbit was attacked by a group of men.
As the assault escalated and Torbit was knocked to the ground and stomped by multiple individuals, he drew his service weapon and fired. In the ensuing confusion, four uniformed officers who had responded to the scene, unaware that Torbit was a fellow officer, opened fire. A total of 42 rounds were discharged by the police officers in a span of six seconds. Officer Torbit was struck multiple times and died at the scene. Another man, Sean Gamble, was also shot and killed during the incident, likely by a bullet from Torbit's weapon. Four other people, including one of the uniformed officers, sustained injuries.
In the aftermath of the shooting, an investigation was launched. The four officers who fired their weapons were identified as Harry Dodge, Harry Pawley, Toyia Williams, and Latora Craig. They were placed on administrative leave. In August 2011, the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office announced that no criminal charges would be filed against the officers, concluding they had acted without criminal intent. The investigation determined that the officers did not recognize Torbit as a police officer when they fired their weapons. Torbit's badge had reportedly been ripped off or was not visible during the altercation.
An independent review board was appointed by the mayor and police commissioner to examine the shooting and the police department's policies and procedures. The board's report, released in November 2011, identified a series of mistakes made by Torbit that contributed to his death and found that police supervisors had failed to take control of the scene. The report also made 33 recommendations aimed at improving the department's training and investigation of critical incidents. In the years following the incident, the families of both William Torbit and Sean Gamble filed lawsuits against the Baltimore Police Department and other parties.
