Man Shot by Police At BJ's Charged with First-Degree Assault

The man shot by a police officer at BJ's in Columbia on July 10 has been charged with assault, theft, destruction of property and reckless endangerment after he threatened officers and a security with a folding knife, according to court records.

The incident began when a security guard at BJ's Wholesale Club believed the man was stealing a pair of shorts.

The charging documents written by police state Howard Carvel Smith, 33, of no fixed address, walked into the store wearing shorts, grabbed another pair of shorts from a shelf, then walked into a restroom. A security guard was watching Smith when he left the restroom wearing a white traditional Thobe, no longer holding either of the pairs of shorts, according to the documents.

When approached by security guards, Smith attempted to run to the exit, but fell, and was apprehended by the guards, state the documents. The guards took Smith to an office where they confirmed he was wearing the shorts, which were valued at $16.99, but Smith became agitated and pulled a folding knife on the guard, according to the documents. He told the security guard his brother carried a gun "and we'll take care of you," wrote police.

At this point, the guard let Smith leave the office, out of fear for his life. Smith, wielding a knife, grabbed a stick and fled the store, wrote police. He ran toward a public bus parked about 500 feet away and attempted to shoulder his way onto the bus, cracking the glass in several places, according to the documents.

The bus driver didn't let him on, so he headed toward the nearby tire center with both weapons in his hands. There he encountered a Howard County police officer, who police said told Smith to drop the knife and stick. When Smith didn't comply the officer shot him, according to the documents.

Smith was in critical condition at Shock Trauma for days after the incident, but was upgraded to fair condition on July 20, according to an ExploreHoward.com report.

The court set Smith's bail at $350,000. He is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on August 15. He is charged with first-, second-degree assault, theft less than $1,000, destruction of property over $500 and reckless endangerment.