A senior supervisor at Baltimore’s Department of Public Works has been charged with handgun violations after he allegedly threatened a colleague in front of a roomful of employees on Tuesday (August 31) at the municipal building across the street from City Hall.

Eric M. Brown, 64, a construction project supervisor at DPW’s Bureau of Engineering and Construction, was charged with illegal possession of a handgun, possessing a loaded handgun and carrying a handgun in public, online court records indicate.

According to two sources, the incident occurred at about 10 a.m. on the third floor of the Abel Wolman Municipal Building, at 200 Holliday Street, when a colleague took offense at Brown for allegedly stomping into an office cubicle and yelling at another supervisor.

“Brown just went off,” said one of the sources.

As others tried to calm down and separate the two men, Brown allegedly told the colleague, “Come back here. I got something for you.” The colleague reported the incident to a police officer stationed in the building.

BPD Detective Chakia Fennoy confirmed today that police had received a call at 10:14 a.m. that a city employee was armed and threatening another employee at 200 Holliday Street.

Officers went to the building and found a loaded handgun in Brown’s possession. He was arrested and taken to Central Booking and later released.

The city administration has not made any statement to employees about the incident and has not disclosed the matter to the public.

DPW spokeswoman Jennifer Combs told The Brew, “It’s a Baltimore Police Department matter.”

Asked if Brown was placed on leave with or without pay, she repeated her previous statement.

“People are terrified”

“People are terrified that there was a supervisor walking around this building with a loaded gun,” a DPW employee said this evening.

“Every day you read about a workplace shooting. The one place you’d expect to feel safe is inside a government building with an armed security guard and a police officer at the desk.”

In the absence of any reassurance by city leaders, “We have people in this building who are reaching out to employee assistance or have simply taken off from work this week,” the employee said.

A DPW employee for more than 25 years – he was paid $91,759 last year – Brown has also been active in local politics.

He is a friend and avid supporter of Sheila Dixon. He gave $4,950 to her campaign last year when she was edged out by Brandon Scott in the Democratic Party primary.

He’s made contributions to City Council President Nick Mosby, State Senator Antonio Hayes, former Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young, and Baltimore state’s attorney hopeful Ivan Bates.

No attorney is listed in online records as representing him, and he could not be reached for comment.

– To contact a reporter: reuttermark@yahoo.com or fern.shen@baltimorebrew.com