Tragedy struck early on Monday morning when a domestic dispute turned deadly in Bryan’s Road, Maryland. According to reports, an eight-year veteran of the DC Fire Department, Carl Braxton, was shot and killed by a man with a concealed carry permit.
The Charles County Sheriff’s officers were responding to a domestic assault call when they received reports of gunshots in the same area. They found Braxton suffering from gunshot wounds, and he was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
According to the sheriff’s office, Braxton assaulted his girlfriend inside their townhouse before the shooting. Luckily, the woman was able to escape and sought help from a passerby who was walking his dog.
Witnesses reportedly told officers that Braxton walked up to the man who helped the woman and threatened him. The man, who the sheriff’s office says had a permit to carry a gun, allegedly took out his weapon and shot Braxton as the firefighter continued to “walk aggressively” toward him.
While it’s not certain whether Carl Braxton had a weapon, the man who shot him may have faced a disparity of force that made the use of deadly force necessary to defend himself from an imminent threat. Braxton had just assaulted his girlfriend, which is a clear indication of his propensity for violence. Who knows what he would have done next?
The unnamed man remained at the scene until officers arrived, and he was taken to a police station and released pending further investigation. There appears to be no indication that the man knew Braxton or his girlfriend prior to the shooting.
