Police Shooting Kills Man with Autism in Columbia, Maryland

Body-cam footage shows tense confrontation before fatal encounter

Mar. 30, 2026 at 9:50pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a police-issued knife against a stark black background, the harsh lighting creating dramatic shadows and textures that convey a sense of the tense, investigative nature of the incident.The release of body-worn camera footage in a fatal police shooting of a man with autism exposes the need for better crisis intervention training and de-escalation tactics.Columbia Today

Body-worn camera video released by the Maryland Attorney General's Office shows the moments leading up to Howard County police officers fatally shooting 25-year-old Alex Lamorie, a man with autism, outside his Columbia apartment building on March 1. The video captures the officers' attempts to de-escalate the situation before ultimately opening fire on Lamorie, who was holding a knife.

Why it matters

The shooting of a person with autism by police has raised concerns about the need for better training and protocols to handle mental health crises. The release of the body-cam footage is part of an ongoing investigation by the state's Independent Investigations Division into how the situation escalated to a fatal outcome.

The details

The video shows officers entering Lamorie's apartment earlier that day after he called 911 to report an online extortion scheme. After leaving the apartment, the officers searched the building for Lamorie with guns drawn. They then encountered him outside the building, where other officers were already engaged with him. The officers can be heard repeatedly ordering Lamorie to drop the knife he was holding, with one officer saying 'It's really not this bad. Listen, I've had this call a dozen times.' Lamorie is heard responding 'I don't care. I don't want to live anymore. I want to be free of my pain.' The officers continued to retreat backwards as Lamorie approached, before ultimately opening fire and fatally shooting him.

  • On March 1, police fatally shot Alex Lamorie outside his Columbia apartment building.
  • On March 12, county and police officials discussed the incident at a news conference.
  • On March 30, the Maryland Attorney General's Office released the body-worn camera footage.

The players

Alex Lamorie

A 25-year-old man with autism who was fatally shot by Howard County police officers outside his Columbia apartment building.

Officer Cody Bostic

One of the Howard County police officers involved in the shooting of Alex Lamorie.

Officer Joel Rodriguez

One of the Howard County police officers involved in the shooting of Alex Lamorie.

Officer Joseph Riebau

One of the Howard County police officers involved in the shooting of Alex Lamorie, who can be heard on the body-cam footage attempting to de-escalate the situation.

Maryland Attorney General's Office's Independent Investigations Division

The state agency investigating the fatal police shooting of Alex Lamorie.

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What they’re saying

“Can you please drop the knife so we can talk about this? It's really not this bad. Listen, I've had this call a dozen times.”

— Officer Joseph Riebau, Howard County Police Officer

“I don't care. I don't want to live anymore. I want to be free of my pain. Go ahead.”

— Alex Lamorie

“Nobody wants to hurt you, nobody wants to hurt you. We don't want anything bad. It can get better.”

— Officer Joseph Riebau, Howard County Police Officer

“Stop, please don't make me do this. Please don't make me do this. Drop the (expletive) knife.”

— Officer Joseph Riebau, Howard County Police Officer

“We're getting cornered.”

— Howard County Police Officer

What’s next

State investigators are now examining how the situation escalated, and anyone with information is asked to contact the Independent Investigations Division.

The takeaway

This tragic incident highlights the need for better police training and protocols to handle mental health crises, especially when dealing with vulnerable populations like those with autism. The release of the body-cam footage is an important step towards transparency and accountability.