Original article no longer available
The News-Star (Monroe, LA)
September 9, 1999
By A. DENISE COOLMAN Staff Writer
A 40-year-old Baltimore County, Md., woman, originally from Oak Grove, was gunned down by police following a 12-hour standoff. Tambra W. Eddinger was shot to death Monday by Baltimore County Police Tactical Officer Robert O. Jones at her Rodgers Forge rowhouse in the 300 block of Dumbarton Road, said Cpl. Vickie Warehime, Baltimore County police spokeswoman.
An autopsy by Dr. John Smilek of Baltimore shows Eddinger died of three gunshot wounds to the torso. Funeral arrangements have been tentatively set for 2 p.m. Saturday at Cox Funeral Home Chapel in Oak Grove, a spokeswoman for the family said, adding that the family did not wish to make any comments. The shooting occurred after police received a 911 call from Eddinger’s husband stating she had made threats to shoot him, Warehime said.
The police were told Eddinger was drunk. “When we arrived at the scene, we spotted Tambra Eddinger walking around inside the house carrying a .22-caliber rifle,” Warehime said. “We had to set up a perimeter around the outside of the house and, then, we tried to talk her into putting down the gun and coming outside.” Warehime said police used a cellular phone to talk to Eddinger throughout the standoff. Warehime said as the day progressed Eddinger’s speech became slurred and the woman became increasingly upset and incoherent. Police were told by her husband that she had just filled a prescription for anti-depressants, Warehime said. At about 2:30 p.m., officers lost contact with Eddinger. With the knowledge Eddinger was drunk and had access to anti-depressants, police declared a medical emergency and entered the house with a key through the basement door, Warehime said. The officers went up to the second floor where Eddinger had locked herself in the master bedroom.
“The officers tried to talk her into coming out of the bedroom,” Warehime said. “After she refused, they broke through the upper part of the door with a hammer so they could get eye contact with her. That’s when she turned, gun in hand, and faced the tactical officer. Fearing for his life and the lives of the other officers, Officer Jones fired.” Results released Wednesday showed the rifle was loaded with a bullet in the chamber, Warehime said. “Basically, the gun was ready to fire,” she said. Eddinger was shot three times, Warehime said. Jones has been put on administrative leave pending an investigation, she said. Warehime said police had been called to the Eddinger residence several times before for domestic disputes.
Record Number: mon10112079936437 Copyright (c) The News-Star. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc.