The Baltimore police officer who shot Curtis Jamal Deal “had it out for him,” family says

On Thursday, Baltimore officials identified the 18-year-old city resident who was shot and killed by police on Tuesday as Curtis Jamal Deal, the Baltimore Sun reported.

Local community activist Kwame Rose, who was active in 2015 protests surrounding Freddie Gray's death, tweeted that he’d spoken to Deal’s family and friends about the teen’s prior encounters with the yet-to-be identified officer who killed him.

The officer may have "had it out" for Deal, Rose tweeted.

Attempts to reach Deal's family Thursday were unsuccessful. 

According to the Sun, Baltimore officials said Deal was shot Tuesday afternoon after he jumped out of a car and ran from plainclothes officers who were tailing the vehicle. Police said Deal was holding a gun. Officials have not identified the officer who shot Deal, but they said the policeman opened fire because he feared for his life.

The officer who shot him was reportedly wearing a body camera, which may show the moment Deal was killed. It was unclear Thursday when officials planned to release the body camera footage.

The video seemed to be a focus for Baltimore Bloc, a local activist group affiliated with the Movement for Black Lives. Through the group’s Twitter account, activists questioned how police officials had so quickly arrived at a determination that Deal’s shooting death was justified.

BPD spokesperson T.J. Smith said Deal, a resident of the city’s Pigtown neighborhood, had been arrested three times in the past month. At the time, he was charged with felony drug and gun offenses. The 18-year-old was released from jail as recently as Monday on bail, the Sun reported.

The shooting comes as police leaders in Baltimore await word on how the U.S. Justice Department will proceed with a consent decree stipulating that it must change its stop and arrest policies, among other reforms. In August, the Justice Department released a scathing report following an investigation into the BPD that found officers routinely violated the civil rights of residents.