BALTIMORE — The Maryland Attorney General’s Office on Tuesday released the names of the 17-year-old boy who died in a multi-vehicle crash last week after police attempted to investigate the vehicle he was driving, as well as the involved officers.
The boy was identified as Kweli Murphy Al-Mateen, of Baltimore.
Baltimore police officers Cesar Gonzalez, a 10 1/2-year veteran, and Cierra Thurmond, a 2-year veteran, were involved in the investigation, prosecutors said.
The fatal crash occurred on Oct. 8 after an officer driving a marked police cruiser noticed and began “attempting to investigate” a black Honda CR-V in the area of Grantley Road and Liberty Heights Avenue, investigators said.
Al-Mateen entered the intersection and collided with two other vehicles at 6:23 p.m., police said. One of those vehicles struck a fourth vehicle, according to authorities.
A neighbor described the scene to WJZ.
“We couldn’t even dial 911 because the police was already here,” a resident told WJZ. “I said, ‘Wait a minute. How they get here before we can even dial the 911?'”
Al-Mateen was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The neighbor said personnel from multiple agencies performed live-saving efforts.
“I’m talking about the fire department, the police department took turns working on that kid,” the resident said. “And I said to myself, he’s gone.”
Two other people were taken to the hospital to receive treatment for their injuries while the occupants of the fourth vehicle declined medical treatment, according to authorities.
The Maryland Attorney General’s Office’s Independent Investigations Division looks into all fatal encounters involving law enforcement.
This is the second time the unit has opened an investigation into a fatal crash involving a Baltimore police officer within the past five months.
In July, the division released footage from a June incident where an officer hit — and ultimately killing — a man on a scooter while driving to a reported stabbing in East Baltimore.
The Independent Investigations Division typically releases body camera footage within 14 days of the incident that triggered the investigation.
Both Gonzalez and Thurmond had their cameras turned on, investigators said.