The suspect in a brutal stabbing in Maryland continued to assault his victim after he was shot by a police officer, authorities said.
Officers were called to the 1900 block of Copeland Street in Annapolis at 12:21 a.m. Tuesday after a neighbor saw 31-year-old William Brown stabbing 29-year-old Ronnesha Simms.
The neighbor tried to help Simms and was even able to kick the knife away from Brown. But investigators said Brown simply went into a home and came out with another knife.
At that point, an officer arrived at the scene and opened fire. Even after being shot, Brown stabbed Simms one more time, police said.
"The assault continued. Mr. Brown was able to stab Ms. Simms one more time," said Annapolis City Police Chief Michael Pristoop.
Simms and Brown were both taken to Anne Arundel Medical Center, where they were was pronounced dead, police said.
While this proved to be his last encounter with police, it was not Brown's first. During Tuesday's press conference, Pristoop said Brown had been arrested about 10 times.
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"[The] most recent was in August of 2012. Mr. Brown was charged with a robbery and attempted kidnapping in Annapolis, and we understand he received a sentence of 10 years and most of that was suspended," Pristoop said.
Brown was also known to state authorities and was part of the Violence Prevention Initiative, which provides extra supervision to Maryland's most violent offenders.
Police said the officer, a 14-year veteran who has not been identified, has been placed on routine administrative leave.
An investigation into the stabbing and shooting is ongoing.
“It was very justified,” Pristoop said. “The officer acted professionally and was only feet away from an assault suspect armed with a knife.”
The same officer was involved in a fatal shooting in 2007 as a member of the department's SWAT team and that shooting was determined to be justified, Pristoop said.
