Maryland police reportedly knew the man charged with the fatal shooting rampage in Bethesda Friday had a history of legal trouble, including allegations of child abuse.
The suspected killer, 62-year-old Eulalio Tordil, previously had a protective order placed on him, which required him to turn in his firearms. Residents are asking how Tordil managed to hang onto the firearm responsible for the fatal shooting, when it should have been confiscated, reports WUSA9.
“Protection orders are very effective. They’re the best way for someone to start their process of becoming safer and getting out of relationship,” Lisae Jordan, Executive Director of the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault told WUSA9. “They’re not magic wands. There are still bad things that can happen which is obvious from this tragic case. They’re also not the only thing that anyone should do.”
A spokesman for the Prince George’s County police department said Monday they never received any request to investigate allegations of spousal and child abuse by Tordil. It turned out, however, the Department did receive a report which was passed off to officials in Arizona, a former residence of Tordil, to investigate.
“The PGPD and CPS did investigate the accusations,” Prince George’s County police told WUSA9. “During the forensic interview conducted by CPS, it was learned that sexual abuse occurred out of state.”
Tordil’s alleged child abuse primarily happened in Arizona, which is why officials say they passed the case on to investigators out of state. The only recent interaction between police and the Tordil residence was a request from Tordil’s wife for police presence as she removed items from their home. (RELATED: Mall Security Waited An Hour To Alert Employees To Active Shooter)
Eulalio Tordil, a federal cop, allegedly opened fired on a woman outside the Westfield Montgomery mall in Bethesda and then shot at two people who stopped to help the injured woman, killing one. Another woman was fatally shot at a Giant grocery store eight miles northeast, shortly after the first shooting. Police apprehended Tordil in a Kohl’s parking lot Friday afternoon. Tordil allegedly murdered his wife in a separate shooting Thursday.
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