Retired Baltimore Police Officer Strikes Intruder With Hammer

A hammer strike ends a late-night break-in Morrell Park

Anthony Mills, a retired police officer, used a hammer to strike an intruder in the head during a Friday night burglary at his south Baltimore home, according to a report from FOX45.

The incident unfolded in the 2500 block of Washington Boulevard around 11:29 p.m. on November 6. The homeowner’s wife, Kim, discovered a stranger crouching at the bottom of their stairs after she had returned home from an evening out with friends. Their dog, Scooter, began barking persistently at the top of the staircase, which prompted Kim to investigate the noise.

When Kim reached halfway down the stairs, she realized a man was crouching there. She immediately returned to the bedroom to alert Anthony, who then went downstairs to confront the intruder. Mills noted that his law enforcement training influenced his decision to use the tool during the confrontation.

“I wanted to see the gentleman’s hands to see if he may have had a weapon of some sort and I couldn’t get to his hands,” Mills said. “So I reached over on my steps and I had a hammer and had struck him to get him to cooperate so I could see his hands.”

The confrontation moved from the stairs toward the front of the house. During the struggle, the two men made their way outside. According to police dispatch audio, the intruder was struck in the head with a small hammer. Once outside, the man reportedly began apologizing to Mills, saying, “I’m sorry, I am sorry.”

Neighbors responded to the commotion, with one resident entering the yard to take the hammer away from Mills. The encounter left blood on the front door, the porch, and the floor of the home, which the couple later cleaned.

Security measures failed to prevent the entry

Despite the homeowner’s efforts to secure the residence, the intruder managed to gain access through the back door. Mills stated that he had a security bar extending from the doorknob to the floor, but the intruder pushed the door out despite this measure. He also noted that the back gate was found open during his investigation of the scene.

The intruder was transported to a local hospital with serious injuries. Baltimore police indicated that once the man is discharged from medical care, he will be taken to Central Booking for processing. Authorities have not yet released the identity of the intruder or announced specific charges related to the break-in.

View of buildings along washington boulevard in downtown baltimore

The crime lab responded to the Washington Boulevard residence to process the scene, and the investigation remains active. Mills, whose family has lived in the neighborhood for decades, described the event as a strange occurrence for a community he considers good, noting that the neighbors “stood together last night and took care of each other.”

Mills expressed a desire for the legal system to address the incident strictly. “I would like to see jail time,” he said. “I just want to see something done to let people know you can’t go in somebody’s house and expect to walk out scot-free.”