A Maryland state trooper is on leave after shooting and killing a 16-year-old boy.According to Maryland State Police, just before 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Leonardtown Barrack received two separate 911 calls. A man reported that there was a guy acting suspicious who he thought had a gun. Two minutes later, the second 911 call came from another man who gave a street address in the 23000 block of Hollywood Road. The caller said a guy was acting suspicious and he thinks he has a gun. Police said the trooper responded to the location and confronted Peyton Ham, 16, of Leonardtown, in the driveway, who was armed with a gun and a knife. A witness told investigators they saw Ham in the driveway in what the witness described as "a shooting stance," pointing a gun at the trooper, police said.“The trooper fired at the male, wounding him,” Maryland State Police Superintendent Col. Woodrow Jones II said. According to another witness, Ham then pulled out a knife and tried to get up."The trooper ordered him to drop the knife before he fired again," Jones said, adding that the trooper reported the shooting and called for emergency personnel while other troopers gave first aid.Ham was taken a hospital, where he died, police said.Police said they later determined that Ham was holding an airsoft gun, which they say is a "close representation of an actual handgun." The replica gun and knife were recovered at the scene, police said.Police released a picture of the knife found at the scene. Additionally, police said they released images of guns for comparison purposes. On the left is a stock photo showing the model of the gun police recovered. On the right is a photo showing a real handgun that's the basis for the replica.The teenager was white, as is the trooper who shot him, according to Maryland State Police spokesman Greg Shipley. Maryland State Police troopers do not wear body cameras. While the department's vehicles do have cameras, a state police spokesman told the 11 News I-Team there is no in-vehicle video from Tuesday's shooting.Police said the trooper involved has been working with MSP for two years and seven months. The investigation is ongoing. Ham's family released a statement Wednesday afternoon through their attorney, saying: "Peyton Alexander Ham is an incredibly smart, gifted sweet young man. Peyton is an honor student who enjoyed attending Leonardtown High School. Peyton was thrilled in his eighth grade year to be accepted into the St. Mary's County Public Schools premier academy, The Global International Studies program, exclusively located at his home high school, Leonardtown High. Peyton is an avid history enthusiast, studying many genres to include European history, ancient monarchies, World Wars I and II and the rise and fall of the former U.S.S.R. Peyton could best be described as an 'Alex P. Keaton' type personality. His love of conservative politics always taking center stage to his lively debates at the family dinner table."Peyton thrived as a cook, always experimenting with his own twists on recipes he found appealing. Peyton enjoyed being his mother's sous chef, prep-chopping many scratch ingredients to make various dishes. Peyton loved his family, siblings, cousins very much. Peyton was a baseball enthusiast, brought about by his grandfather's love of the game. Peyton enjoyed rooting for his hometown team, the Baltimore Orioles, discussing play by play with his grandad over the phone while watching the game. Peyton was absolutely thrilled to make his school's 'Mock Trial' team, enjoying being selected as the coveted 'prosecutor' for one of his team's major cases. Peyton dreamed of attending a four-year university to obtain an undergraduate degree, and move on to pre-law, with the ultimate dream of being an elected senator or delegate, to represent his home state of Maryland."Our family is absolutely heartbroken and shattered over this sudden, unexpected loss of life of a talented young man, filled with promise. Words cannot express the gratitude our family is feeling with the overwhelming love and support being extended by our friends and family in our amazing community."The Associated Press contributed to this report.
LEONARDTOWN, Md. — A Maryland state trooper is on leave after shooting and killing a 16-year-old boy.
According to Maryland State Police, just before 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Leonardtown Barrack received two separate 911 calls. A man reported that there was a guy acting suspicious who he thought had a gun.
Two minutes later, the second 911 call came from another man who gave a street address in the 23000 block of Hollywood Road. The caller said a guy was acting suspicious and he thinks he has a gun.
Police said the trooper responded to the location and confronted Peyton Ham, 16, of Leonardtown, in the driveway, who was armed with a gun and a knife.
A witness told investigators they saw Ham in the driveway in what the witness described as "a shooting stance," pointing a gun at the trooper, police said.
“The trooper fired at the male, wounding him,” Maryland State Police Superintendent Col. Woodrow Jones II said. According to another witness, Ham then pulled out a knife and tried to get up.
"The trooper ordered him to drop the knife before he fired again," Jones said, adding that the trooper reported the shooting and called for emergency personnel while other troopers gave first aid.
Ham was taken a hospital, where he died, police said.
Police said they later determined that Ham was holding an airsoft gun, which they say is a "close representation of an actual handgun." The replica gun and knife were recovered at the scene, police said.
Police released a picture of the knife found at the scene.
Maryland State Police
Police released a picture of the knife found at the scene of the trooper-involved shooting in Leonardtown.
Additionally, police said they released images of guns for comparison purposes. On the left is a stock photo showing the model of the gun police recovered. On the right is a photo showing a real handgun that's the basis for the replica.
Maryland State Police
Police released a stock photo of the airsoft pistol recovered at the scene (left), and a photo of a real handgun that the airsoft pistol is a replica of (right).
The teenager was white, as is the trooper who shot him, according to Maryland State Police spokesman Greg Shipley.
Maryland State Police troopers do not wear body cameras. While the department's vehicles do have cameras, a state police spokesman told the 11 News I-Team there is no in-vehicle video from Tuesday's shooting.
Police said the trooper involved has been working with MSP for two years and seven months.
The investigation is ongoing.
Ham's family released a statement Wednesday afternoon through their attorney, saying: "Peyton Alexander Ham is an incredibly smart, gifted sweet young man. Peyton is an honor student who enjoyed attending Leonardtown High School. Peyton was thrilled in his eighth grade year to be accepted into the St. Mary's County Public Schools premier academy, The Global International Studies program, exclusively located at his home high school, Leonardtown High. Peyton is an avid history enthusiast, studying many genres to include European history, ancient monarchies, World Wars I and II and the rise and fall of the former U.S.S.R. Peyton could best be described as an 'Alex P. Keaton' type personality. His love of conservative politics always taking center stage to his lively debates at the family dinner table.
Ham family
Peyton Alexander Ham
"Peyton thrived as a cook, always experimenting with his own twists on recipes he found appealing. Peyton enjoyed being his mother's sous chef, prep-chopping many scratch ingredients to make various dishes. Peyton loved his family, siblings, cousins very much. Peyton was a baseball enthusiast, brought about by his grandfather's love of the game. Peyton enjoyed rooting for his hometown team, the Baltimore Orioles, discussing play by play with his grandad over the phone while watching the game. Peyton was absolutely thrilled to make his school's 'Mock Trial' team, enjoying being selected as the coveted 'prosecutor' for one of his team's major cases. Peyton dreamed of attending a four-year university to obtain an undergraduate degree, and move on to pre-law, with the ultimate dream of being an elected senator or delegate, to represent his home state of Maryland.
"Our family is absolutely heartbroken and shattered over this sudden, unexpected loss of life of a talented young man, filled with promise. Words cannot express the gratitude our family is feeling with the overwhelming love and support being extended by our friends and family in our amazing community."
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.