Breaking: Conflicting Reports After Gun Fired in Baltimore, Tensions at Site of Protests

Tensions are high in the North West of Baltimore following a gun shot. Eyewitnesses say police fired at a man. Officers claim it was the man’s gun that fired when he dropped it.

Reports surfaced at around 2:45 ET that a man was shot close to the intersection of Pennsylvania and North avenues near the epicenter of where protests have occurred in the days since the arrest and death last month of Freddie Gray, a young black man.

A commander with the Baltimore Police Department at the scene told a journalist with the Baltimore Sun that police were trying to arrest an armed man when that person’s gun fell and went off.

BPD: Officers pursued suspect at Pa and North. .suspect's gun discharged. No one shot. Suspect asked for medic for other reasons

— Jayne Miller (@jemillerwbal) May 4, 2015

At the same time, however, the BPD wrote on Twitter that “the reports of a man being shot at North and Pennsylvania Ave are NOT true.”

The BPD’s claims run contrary to those of eyewitnesses, including RT’s Manuel Rapalo and a producer for Fox News Mike Tobin. Tobin said live on the air that a young black man who had been shot once and “didn’t appear to be in good shape.”

Police have cleared the street after a man was shot on w North Ave only a few moments ago. Pepper spray used on crowd pic.twitter.com/2yIIE1cOmc

— Manuel Rapalo (@Manuel_Rapalo) May 4, 2015

RT’s Manual Rapalo reported from the scene that authorities were quick to clear the scene by discharging pepper-spray as a crowd gathered. Fox captured paramedics rushing the man away and onto an ambulance.

baltimore police just shot a man in the back and their reaction is to mace people who were there literally disgusting pic.twitter.com/KoZiqrTL4w

— Salmon (@salm0n_) May 4, 2015

I just saw a guy get shot! Police are clearing the scene and using pepper spray. I have no idea what's going on #Baltimore

— Manuel Rapalo (@Manuel_Rapalo) May 4, 2015

An eyewitness who spoke with Fox around 20 minutes after the shooting unfolded said that the man who was reported to have been shot was sitting on the steps of a nearby check cashing store when a police cruiser pulled up.