Officers have returned home from Baltimore. Another group will go in afternoon. Hoping for peace @BaltimorePolice pic.twitter.com/exRCEj55gQ
— Montgomery Co Police (@mcpnews) April 28, 2015
Update – 9:30 a.m., Tuesday – Montgomery County Police sent about 40 officers to Baltimore Monday to assist Baltimore Police with protests that later turned into rioting and looting.
Police spokeswoman Rebecca Innocenti said officers from Montgomery included command staff, medics, supervisors and officers from the special event response team. Innocenti said the officers were sent at the request of Baltimore Police.
Police said on their Twitter account Tuesday morning that the officers had returned, but that another group would be sent to Baltimore Tuesday afternoon.
Starting Monday afternoon officers clashed with rioters at Mondawmin Mall, where police say several officers were injured as school age teens threw rocks and bottles at police, according to The Baltimore Sun. The situation escalated to the point where significant looting was taking place in west Baltimore, where vehicles and buildings were set on fire.
In response, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency and the National Guard was sent in to assist police. Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake ordered a curfew which goes into effect tonight at 10 p.m. and lasts until 5 a.m. It's scheduled to be in place citywide for the next week.
Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh issued a statement Monday night condemning the riots.
"The death of Freddie Gray was a tragedy," Frosh said. "Perhaps it can lead us on a path toward progress. Violence, fires and looting will not get us there."
Montgomery police also sent officers to Baltimore Saturday night when protesters clashed with officers and smashed police vehicles' windshields. Innocenti did not immediately know if any Montgomery police vehicles were damaged or if any officers were injured in Saturday night’s protests.
Baltimore has been in a state of unrest since 25-year-old Freddie Gray died from a severed spinal cord injury suffered while in police custody earlier this month. The protests follow a wave of outrage directed at police after police killings of black men in places like Ferguson, Missouri and New York City.
