Trending

Police find Baltimore officer’s stepson inside wall of home

CURTIS BAY, Md. — The 15-year-old stepson of a Baltimore police officer was found unresponsive Tuesday in the wall of the man’s house, investigators said.

>> Read more trending news

When Dasan Jones was unreachable, his mother called Anne Arundel County police believing he was being held against his will, WBAL reported.

Police arrived to the home of stepfather Eric Banks, who told them Jones was not there, although his packed bags were at the back door.

Banks, 34, gave officers permission to search the house, investigators said. They found a white cover over a hole in the wall in a loft on the top floor, the Baltimore Sun reported. Banks said it was his gun safe. When officers looked inside, they found Jones’ body. Officers performed life-saving techniques until medics arrived. The teen was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy is being conducted to determine the cause of death.

Banks tried to grab an officer’s gun as he was being handcuffed, stating ‘You’re going to have to end this’ multiple times, police said. It took five officers to get Banks under control, the Baltimore Sun reported.

Banks was arrested and charged with first and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, disarming a law officer, resisting/interfering with arrest and failure to obey a lawful order, WBAL reported. He was taken to a hospital for treatment. He is being held in protective custody as a potential suicide risk, the Baltimore Sun reported.

It is not the first time officers have responded to Banks’ home. Late last month his wife applied for a protective order against him, WBAL reported. She complained of stalking and “emotional and mental abuse,” the Baltimore Sun reported. A temporary protective order was denied June 28.

The Baltimore police commissioner said Banks was already on suspension for another, undisclosed, issue, WBAL reported. He has been a police officer for three years, WBZ reported. He is now suspended without pay.

He was deployed to Afghanistan three times during his 11 years in the Marine Corps, where he attained the rank of sergeant and received numerous awards before leaving the service in March 2018, the Baltimore Sun reported.

Jones’ friend Kayla Wright set up a crowdsourced-funding account for his mother to help with funeral and other expenses.

“I hope his family finally finds peace for this because I know how hard it is for them right now and I know his mom has two little boys, so I know that it is really difficult to try to process this,” Wright told WBAL.