The family and neighbors of 16-year-old Peyton Ham, killed by a Maryland State Police trooper, say they still have questions about his death and the investigation that cleared the officer.
“The trooper ordered him to drop the knife before he fired again,” Jones told reporters.
The airsoft gun that the teenager wielded is commonly used to shoot BBs and is “a close representation of an actual handgun,” Jones said.
Boyle said her family would release a statement about the shooting through an attorney “because we definitely would like our side of the story [told[ and for everyone to know what an awesome young man my son is.”
In that statement, released later Wednesday, the family said Ham was an eighth grader at Leonardtown High School and loved history, conservative politics, cooking and the Baltimore Orioles. He dreamed of studying law and representing Maryland as an elected official.
“It’s a horrific situation,” Boyle said.
A witness saw Ham in the driveway of a home “in a shooting stance” and pointing the gun at the trooper, who fired at the teenager and wounded him, Jones said Tuesday during a news conference. Another witness told investigators Ham then pulled out a knife and tried to get up, according to the superintendent.
“The trooper ordered him to drop the knife before he fired again,” Jones told reporters.
The airsoft gun that the teenager wielded is commonly used to shoot BBs and is “a close representation of an actual handgun,” Jones said.
April 14, 2021
This is the official statement provided by Mr. Christopher T. Longmore, attorney for the Boyle family, for distribution on behalf of Peyton Ham’s Family, Michael & Kristee Boyle, (Birthfather Jason Ham Haight)
Peyton Alexander Ham is an incredibly smart, gifted sweet young man. Peyton is an honor student who enjoyed attending Leonardtown High School. Peyton was thrilled in his 8th grade year to be accepted into the St. Mary’s County Public Schools premier academy, The Global International Studies program, exclusively located at his home high school, Leonardtown High. Peyton is an avid history enthusiast, studying many genres to include European history, ancient monarchies, World Wars 1 & 2 and the rise and fall of the former U.S.S.R. Peyton could best be described as an “Alex P. Keaton” type personality. His love of conservative politics always taking center stage to his lively debates at the family dinner table.
Peyton Ham Credit: Handout
COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) A 16-year-old boy who was shot and killed by a Maryland State Police trooper was an honor student who loved cooking with his mother and spirited political debates at the family dinner table, the teenager’s relatives said Wednesday.
A written statement from the family doesn’t address the circumstances of Peyton Ham’s encounter with the trooper who shot him Tuesday afternoon outside a home near the State Police barracks in Leonardtown. Investigators determined that Ham had an airsoft gun and a knife and pointed the replica toy gun at the trooper, who was responding to a pair of 911 calls, according to State Police Superintendent Woodrow Jones III.