US police fatally shoot unarmed black man in domestic dispute

WASHINGTON -- An unarmed black man from the US State of Maryland, who was shot by three police officers at his home, has died, police said Thursday.

Spencer Lee McCain, 41, was shot about 1 a.m. at the condominium in Owings Mills while a woman who said he had threatened to beat her was there with her two young children, Baltimore County Police Chief Jim Johnson said at a news conference.

Johnson said all three officers on the scene fired because McCain was in a "defensive position". He said the officers thought he had a weapon, but none was found. A total of 19 casings were found at the scene, but it wasn't clear how many times McCain got hit.

McCain had been taken to a hospital for treatment, according to police.

Police said the incident began when one of the children in the home called his grandmother, who called 911 and asked police to go there. The first arriving officer called for others for backup, Johnson said.

Earlier, police said a woman and two children inside the home were not injured. They now noted that the woman had head injuries, cuts, bruises and swelling.

Police said the three officers are now on administrative leave.