“It all began at Kmart"

*Maryland*

     A shirtless man (later identified as Clifton Rodney Duncan Jr., 32) used a crowbar to destroy a glass door at Kmart (in the 200 block of North Point Boulevard).  At approximately 2:20 pm [last Wednesday] Duncan allegedly approached a man in the parking lot and threatened him and claimed to have a gun.  From the store, Duncan fled [by car] to a neighborhood in Colegate, where he broke into a home in the 7700 block of Eastdale Road by using a flower pot. When officers called out to him to exit the premises, Duncan replied, “Get back – I have a gun!” 

    Duncan did NOT surrender at the house; he left through the back door and ran into the Winner Distributing Company (600 block of Canter Center Drive).  The Baltimore County Police Tactical Team responded by this time and he was yet again ordered out.  About 45 people were evacuated and 5 remained inside but had NO contact with Duncan.  The five were in another part of the building but were unable to leave, that is until officers were able to obtain additional information on him (which took 2 ½ hours). 

    The area around the facility was secured, which included locking down the Colegate Elementary School.  This lockdown consisted of the school being put into “alert mode” , the doors were locked and dismissal for the 250 students was delayed.  Also locked down at the time (and evacuated) was the Kmart where it all began as officers scrambled to gather information on Duncan. It was also discovered during this time that Duncan had stolen a knife from the home and ammunition and narcotics were found in his vehicle. 

     By 6:46pm, police entered the Winner facility after Duncan opened the door to the office in which he had [previously] barricaded himself into.  According to reports, he showed no indication that he would leave the facility of his own free will.  Officers subdued him with a Taser and were able to find and secure the knife he had stolen and used to injure himself with.  After being removed from the facility, he was taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, to be treated for injuries that were classified as “non-life threatening”.

   Duncan is currently being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center with his bail set at $350,000.  His faces the following charges: burglary, theft, destruction of property, trespassing and five counts of false imprisonment.  His trial is set to begin on April 12^th.