A Baltimore Police Department officer was suspended without pay on October 29, 2025, following the release of a viral video showing him driving his patrol vehicle aggressively toward a pedestrian in the Park Heights neighborhood, prompting an internal investigation into the use of force and vehicle operation.

The incident unfolded around 9 p.m. on Tuesday, October 28, in the 3800 block of Park Heights Avenue, a predominantly Black residential area in West Baltimore known for its community challenges and occasional police interactions. The footage, captured on a bystander’s cell phone and quickly amassing over 200,000 views on platforms like TikTok and X, begins with Officer Robert Parks, a five-year veteran of the department, approaching a group of individuals gathered on Wylie Avenue. According to witness Slick Brown, who recorded the video, the officer instructed the group to disperse without specifying a reason.

The central figure in the clip, a Black man identified only as the pedestrian in police statements, began walking away down an adjacent alley after what he described as an unwarranted demand to approach the officer. Parks, in uniform, entered his marked black-and-white patrol cruiser and accelerated rapidly toward the man, veering off the pavement onto a grassy vacant lot and sidewalk. The vehicle traversed uneven terrain, including a back alley and fence line, in an apparent attempt to intercept the pedestrian before ultimately crashing into a chain-link fence on private property. The pedestrian evaded direct contact but claimed to investigators that the cruiser’s side mirror struck his arm, leaving him shaken but uninjured.

Brown, 32, a local barber who was among the group, told WBAL-TV 11 News that the encounter escalated without provocation. “The officer just pulled up and started telling us to move for no reason,” Brown recounted. “When my friend walked away, he jumped in the car like it was a movie chase. We were just standing there talking.” The video’s audio captures shouts of alarm from onlookers, with one voice yelling, “He’s trying to hit him!” as the cruiser barrels forward. The pedestrian, reached by phone for an exclusive interview, explained that he learned post-incident the stop stemmed from a failure-to-appear warrant related to driving without a license. “I wasn’t even driving that night,” he said. “I ran because it felt like my life was in danger.”

Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley responded swiftly, issuing a statement on Wednesday morning labeling the footage “deeply concerning and alarming.” He announced Parks’ immediate suspension, stripping him of police powers pending the outcome of an Internal Affairs probe. “This does not reflect the values of the Baltimore Police Department or the high standards we hold our officers to,” Worley said during a press briefing at headquarters. “We take these allegations seriously and will conduct a thorough review to ensure accountability.” The investigation, assigned to the Public Trust Unit, focuses on potential violations of department policy regarding vehicle pursuits, use of force, and de-escalation tactics.

Mayor Brandon Scott echoed the commissioner’s sentiments, calling the video “unacceptable” in a post on X. “As we continue our reform efforts under the consent decree, incidents like this remind us of the work still ahead,” Scott wrote. “Transparency and trust-building are non-negotiable.” Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates added that his office stands ready to review any criminal implications, though no charges have been filed as of October 31. Federal Judge James Bredar, overseeing the city’s 2017 consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice aimed at curbing excessive force, expressed being “very, very troubled” by the clip during a routine compliance hearing. “This raises serious questions about training and adherence to reforms,” Bredar noted.

Public Defender Natasha Dartigue and District Public Defender Marguerite Lanaux highlighted the event as emblematic of lingering systemic issues flagged in the 2016 DOJ report, which criticized Baltimore Police for patterns of aggressive policing in minority communities. Park Heights, where 95% of residents are Black and poverty rates exceed 30%, has long been a flashpoint for such concerns. “The consent decree was designed to prevent exactly this kind of overreach,” Dartigue said in a statement. “A foot pursuit turning into a vehicle chase without justification erodes the progress we’ve made.”

Parks, assigned to the Northwest District, joined the force in 2020 after serving with the Baltimore County Sheriff’s Office. Department spokespeople confirmed he has no prior disciplinary actions on record but declined to comment on his current status beyond the suspension. The crash caused minor damage to the cruiser—no injuries to the officer or bystanders—and the vehicle was towed for forensic examination. The pedestrian was not detained following the incident, and Brown has not faced charges for filming, protected under Maryland’s wiretapping laws for public encounters.

Social media reactions poured in within hours, with hashtags like #BPDReform and #ParkHeights trending locally. On Reddit’s r/Baltimore, users debated the merits of the pursuit: “If it was just a warrant for no license, why the car chase? Walk it off,” one commenter wrote, garnering 150 upvotes. Supporters of law enforcement countered that officers face split-second decisions, though few defended the off-road maneuver. The video’s rapid spread drew national attention, with outlets like TheGrio framing it as part of broader discussions on racial disparities in policing.

This event marks the latest in a series of high-profile Baltimore Police controversies. In September 2025, two officers were indicted for falsifying reports in a drug bust gone wrong, and a July body-cam release showed excessive force during an arrest in Sandtown-Winchester. The consent decree, now in its eighth year, has led to over 200 policy changes, including mandatory de-escalation training and body-worn cameras for all patrol units—though compliance audits show mixed results, with vehicle pursuit violations cited in 15% of reviewed cases.

As the investigation unfolds, community leaders are calling for an independent review. The Baltimore chapter of the NAACP plans a town hall on November 5 in Park Heights to discuss the video and broader reform needs. Reverend Jamal Bryant, pastor at New Shiloh Baptist Church, urged, “We need more than suspensions—we need systemic change to protect our streets from becoming racetracks.”

For Parks, the coming weeks could determine his career trajectory. Union representatives from the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 3 have pledged support pending facts, emphasizing the dangers officers face daily. Baltimore logged 215 homicides in 2024, a 15% drop from prior years, but non-violent encounters like this one fuel perceptions of over-policing.

The pedestrian, speaking anonymously to protect his privacy, reflected on the ordeal: “I just wanted to go home. Now everyone’s watching, and I’m still looking over my shoulder.” Brown, the videographer, uploaded the clip to raise awareness, not for fame. “If sharing this saves one person from the same fear, it’s worth it,” he said.

As October 31 dawned with Halloween festivities underway, the video continued to circulate, serving as a stark reminder of the tensions simmering beneath Baltimore’s surface. With the probe expected to wrap in 30-60 days, all eyes remain on Police Headquarters—and the streets of Park Heights—for signs of meaningful accountability.