Baltimore County Remembers Officer Amy Sorrells Caprio: Tribute And Legacy Scholarship Continues To Support Students

BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. — Baltimore County law enforcement donned mourning bands over their badges on Sunday to pay tribute to their fallen colleague, Officer Amy Sorrells Caprio.

Officer Caprio, 29 at the time, was fatally injured on May 21, 2018, while responding to a suspicious vehicle report in Perry Hall. According to the police, a follow-up call indicated that a home was being broken into by four suspects connected to the suspicious vehicle, later confirmed to be a stolen Jeep Wrangler.

Upon locating the vehicle, Officer Caprio stepped out of her patrol car and instructed the driver to exit the suspicious vehicle. Instead of complying, the driver sped up, striking and fatally injuring Officer Caprio.

Dawanta Harris, 17, driving the vehicle that struck Caprio, was convicted in 2019 of felony murder and sentenced to life in prison.

Officer Caprio was married and had nearly four years of service with the Department. Her name and those of other fallen officers are engraved on a memorial at Patriot Plaza in Towson.

Police also honored her memory with the presentation of the 2023 Officer Amy Sorrells Caprio Award on Sunday. The annual award is voted on by Precinct 8-Parkville officers. It recognizes an officer who "embodies the qualities Amy demonstrated as a member of the Baltimore County Police Department."

Following Officer Caprio's tragic death, Baltimore County Officers Victoria Hawkins and the late Norris "Mac" McKee visited Towson University to establish a scholarship in her honor.

Intent on honoring Caprio's commitment to education, they created The Amy Sorrells Caprio Scholarship Endowment, a chance encounter with Sarah Metzgar, TU's director of major gifts, facilitated the process.

The scholarship is intended for full-time or part-time undergraduate or graduate students who are either first responders or closely related to one. The endowment has amassed over $60,000, issuing three $2,000 scholarships so far. Recipients include students whose family members have served in law enforcement and suffered injuries on duty, reflecting the risks Caprio and others face in their roles.

Caprio, known for her bravery, continues to inspire and support students through this lasting legacy.