Baltimore Cop Shoots Man Holding a Woman at Knifepoint

Baltimore, Maryland — November 6, 2022

On the afternoon of November 6, 2022, at approximately 3:40 p.m., officers with the Baltimore Police Department were dispatched to a disturbing call involving a man armed with a knife assaulting a woman near the intersection of West Lafayette Avenue and North Fulton Avenue in West Baltimore. The incident quickly escalated into a deadly confrontation that was captured on body-worn cameras and has since drawn public attention due to the identity of the suspect involved. }; According to police, the emergency call described a man attacking a woman on the street with a large knife. Responding officers arrived within minutes. Officer Zachary Rutherford was among the first to reach the scene. Body camera footage from Rutherford shows him pulling up and immediately spotting the suspect—later identified as 46-year-old Tyree Moorehead—on top of a woman who was lying on the pavement. In Moorehead’s hand was a large butcher knife, which he appeared to be holding close to the woman’s head.

Rutherford exited his patrol car and shouted a command: “Drop the knife!” Despite the clear warning, Moorehead did not comply and continued to straddle the woman. The situation left the officer with a split-second decision to make. Believing the woman’s life to be in immediate danger, Rutherford discharged his firearm multiple times at close range, striking Moorehead. The shots forced Moorehead to release the woman, who quickly rolled away to safety. According to officials, the woman was neither stabbed nor struck by any of the bullets.

A second angle of the incident was captured by Officer Trainee Michael Hazel. That footage begins just after the shots were fired and shows officers immediately transitioning to render medical aid to the wounded Moorehead. The officers applied first aid as they waited for emergency medical services to arrive. Moorehead was transported to the University of Maryland’s R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in critical condition. Despite the efforts made to save him, he was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison addressed the media following the incident and described the attack as appearing to be random. The woman, whose identity has not been released, told investigators that she was simply out running errands in the 1800 block of Lafayette Avenue when she was suddenly attacked by Moorehead. She had no known connection to him prior to the assault.

The incident quickly garnered public attention due to Moorehead’s well-known background in Baltimore as a community activist. He was the creator of the city's “No Shoot Zones,” a grassroots movement aimed at curbing gun violence in Baltimore’s most affected neighborhoods. Moorehead was known for spray-painting the phrase “No Shoot Zone” across walls, sidewalks, and abandoned buildings throughout the city, often marking areas where someone had been shot and killed. His activism earned him both praise and criticism over the years, but his dedication to reducing violence was widely acknowledged.

Moorehead’s death has sparked a complex community response. While some mourn the loss of an activist with a deeply personal mission, others have expressed concern about the actions that led to the violent confrontation. The police department has launched an internal investigation into the use of force, which is standard protocol in officer-involved shootings. The body camera footage has been released to the public to ensure transparency and allow for a clearer understanding of the officers' decisions in that moment.

As the investigation continues, the Baltimore Police Department and city leaders are urging the public to remain patient and allow the facts to come to light. Meanwhile, the woman who survived the attack is recovering from the trauma of the incident. No officers were injured during the event, and Officer Rutherford has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, as is routine in these cases. The tragedy underscores the difficult balance officers face in high-risk situations and has reopened conversations in Baltimore about mental health, violence, and the long-term impacts of trauma in underserved communities.