University of Maryland Police officers pulled out their guns during a confrontation in a reported stolen vehicle case Friday, spokeswoman Sgt. Rosanne Hoaas said.
Officers were notified that a sedan reported stolen had entered this university’s campus and proceeded to follow the car. The car entered the College Park Shopping Center, and officers initiated a traffic stop, Hoaas said.
Because the car was reported stolen, Hoaas said it was a “high-risk” traffic stop, spurring officers to pull out their guns and point them at the car.
“At times officers can utilize by pulling out their service weapon … In this case officers did point their firearms at the vehicle,” Hoaas said.
Police put their weapons away after determining the people in the car were unarmed.
The two people in the car, a male driver and a female passenger, were placed into custody on the scene.
The officers then discovered that this case was a family matter and a case of an unauthorized use of a vehicle. The man and woman were released on the scene with no charges, pending investigation, Hoaas said.
The car owner was contacted and instructed to say the car was not stolen, Hoaas said. No charges were filed.
