Ex-teacher’s trial set in Baltimore County Police officer shooting
Luke Parker
The Baltimore Sun
May 19, 2025
A former elementary school teacher will go on trial next year for the attempted murder of a Baltimore County Police officer, a judge ruled Monday.
Andrew Britt, 27, was indicted on six felonies in early April, less than a month after a shootout outside a police station in Catonsville. Officials said Britt fired a handgun at three officers across the parking lot of Wilkens Precinct, striking one in the abdomen before collapsing from his own gunshot wounds.
Held without bond after his release from the hospital, Britt’s five-day trial is scheduled to begin Feb. 2 in Baltimore County Circuit Court.
Britt appeared briefly in the Towson courthouse Monday morning, where he waived what’s known as the Hicks rule, a Maryland mandate protecting a defendant’s right to a speedy trial.
Even if Britt hadn’t signed onto the waiver, Baltimore County Circuit Judge Dennis Robinson said he would have found good cause to push the trial past its 180-day deadline because of the schedules of the court and prosecution, as well as the evaluations and preparations that will go into Britt’s not criminally responsible defense.
A not criminally responsible plea functions the same as an insanity plea in Maryland. Rarely used, it requires a lawyer to prove that the defendant could not understand their actions were illegal when the crime was committed or could not “conform that conduct to the requirements of the law,” according to the state statute.
Britt’s defense attorney, Tony Garcia, entered the plea April 9, two days after his client’s indictment, saying his family had informed him broadly of Britt’s mental illness and that “counsel has witnessed such behavior.”
Garcia declined to comment Monday.
Before his arrest, Britt taught and lived in Baltimore, working with children at Liberty Elementary School and as a mentor at an after-school boxing program.
The Baltimore Sun observed Britt teach at Umar Boxing in December, where the now-defendant worked alongside his father. Combining boxing and studying, the program hopes to build physical, social and academic discipline, all in an effort to help city students stay in class.
Its motto is “no hooks before books.”
“Baltimore is a tough place. [Kids] have to navigate that through elementary school, middle school, high school and after high school,” Britt told The Sun at the time. “So, anytime I can actually impart some knowledge on them so that they can use it — if I reach one person — that’s cool.”
According to charging documents, around 2 p.m. on March 13, Britt walked into the lobby at Wilkens Precinct and spoke briefly with the desk officer. After a few minutes, Britt then walked out toward the parking lot and encountered another officer fueling his vehicle, police said.
Authorities said Britt moved out of frame from the security cameras but soon came back and, “walking directly” to the officer at the gas pump, pulled a handgun and fired.
He did not hit that officer, police said, and two others in the lot drew their weapons. Britt “walked further toward all three officers … while still holding his handgun,” according to charging documents, and soon shot Officer J. Riddick before falling himself.
Both men were taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore for treatment. Riddick required surgery but was released within a week of the shooting.
Britt was indicted on three counts of both attempted first-degree murder and first-degree assault, as well as several firearm offenses.
Police Chief Robert McCullough said it was “very clear” the March 13 shooting was “premeditated,” though authorities did not provide a motive in public statements or charging documents.