A man who had been in a fight, possibly while armed, boarded a Prince George’s County school bus Wednesday that was carrying elementary school students, according to police.
A man who had been in a fight, possibly while armed, boarded a Prince George’s County school bus Wednesday that was carrying elementary school students, according to police.
The man did not bring a gun onto the bus, police said.
Prince George’s County police said in a news release that a person called 911 around 2:05 p.m. after seeing a man board a school bus carrying three elementary school students in the 4100 block of Suitland Road. Just four minutes later, officers stopped the bus, but the man was no longer on board, police said.
All the students on board were safe.
Police said the bus driver picked up the man, who they said knew the driver and may be related to him, and drove him into D.C. before returning to the county. Investigators said the man was involved in a physical dispute with another man shortly before boarding the bus.
Officers recovered a gun in that area, which police said he may have been carrying at the time of the fight but didn’t bring onto the bus.
Police are still looking for the man they say boarded the bus before being dropped off in D.C. Police encourage anyone with information to contact Crime Solvers.
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Two men have been arrested and charged in the deadly shooting of a 41-year-old Bladensburg man at a tire shop, according to Prince George’s County police in Maryland.
Two men have been arrested and charged in the shooting death of a 41-year-old Bladensburg man at a tire shop, according to police in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Hardy and Eccles are being charged with first- and second-degree murder, as well as other related charges.
Officers were sent to the 1200 block of Marblewood Ave. to perform a welfare check around 6:30 a.m. on Sept. 14, according to police. That’s when they found Okoye, who had been shot.
He was taken to a hospital and died a short time later.
Okoye “was the kind of guy who doesn’t have any problem at all,” according to co-worker Hugo Amadi, as WTOP’s John Domen reported last month.
“The guy was one of the best colleagues I have,” Amadi said.
“Everybody was like, ‘My man, my man, that’s my man, that’s my man,’” he added about Okoye’s relationship with customers.
Police are asking anyone with information that could help the investigation to call 301-516-2512 to speak with a homicide detective.
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Two men have been arrested in connection with a shooting that took place Thursday at a Foot Locker footwear store in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland, according to Prince George’s County police. Detectives say there’s a third suspect who is still at large.
Two men have been arrested in connection with a shooting that took place Thursday at a Foot Locker footwear store in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland, according to Prince George’s County police. Detectives say there’s a third suspect who is still at large.
Officers were called to the 3700 block of Branch Avenue shortly before 6 p.m., where they found 24-year-old Dominique Hodge, of D.C., with gunshot wounds — and pronounced her dead at the scene, according to a news release from the department.
Hodge was shopping in the store when she was shot; no other customers or employees were hurt.
Investigators are actively looking for the third suspect seen in this photo. Please share the image. pic.twitter.com/rnMnitNnqd
An officer who responded to the scene saw three men who matched suspect descriptions walking about a half-mile from the area of the shooting. He asked the group to stop, according to the release, but all three began to run. The officer was able to arrest 19-year-old Andres Rodriguez-Corona, of Waldorf, and found a handgun on him. Rodriguez-Corona is charged with first- and second-degree murder.
Just before 11:30 p.m. the same night, police arrested a second suspect, 22-year-old Carl Sanders, of D.C., after a traffic stop in Temple Hills.
Law enforcement say they found two ghost guns — firearms without serial numbers — in Sanders’ car. He faces multiple firearms offenses
Police believe the suspects targeted Hodge in the store, according to a preliminary investigation, but detectives are still trying to piece together a motive.
Investigators are asking for the public’s help to identify the third suspect. Anyone with information is asked to call 301-516-2512 to speak with a homicide detective.
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Ten students in Prince George’s County, Maryland, have been charged in connection with multiple school threats so far this academic year.
Ten students in Prince George’s County, Maryland, have been charged in connection with multiple school threats so far this academic year.
The students charged are between 13 and 16 years old.
Prince George’s County police said in a news release that they investigated 47 school-related threats at the start of the 2024-25 school year.
The department said they “will continue to aggressively investigate all threats of violence at county schools,” which are mostly spread through social media.
Additionally, police recognized four more juveniles younger than 13 years old who were connected to those threats. They can’t be charged under Maryland law, according to police.
Police are pleading with parents to have conversations with their kids about this serious matter for the safety of students and staff.
“We take each threat seriously and when possible, we will charge those responsible,” the department said in the release.
Police are still looking for two suspects who killed a man working inside a Capitol Heights, Maryland, tire shop Saturday.
Police are searching for two suspects, pictured, wanted for a fatal shooting at a tire shop in Capitol Heights.(Prince George’s Police Department)
Police are searching for two suspects, pictured, wanted for a fatal shooting at a tire shop in Capitol Heights.(Prince George’s Police Department)
Despite a reward, police are still looking for two suspects, including the gunman, who killed a man working inside a Capitol Heights, Maryland, tire shop last weekend.
“He was the kind of guy who doesn’t have any problem at all,” said Hugo Amadi, a co-worker.
He said Okoye had worked at Ameritech Tires for almost a year, after immigrating to the U.S. from Africa.
“The guy was one of the best colleagues I have,” Amadi said.
“Everybody was like, ‘My man, my man, that’s my man, that’s my man,’” he added about Okoye’s relationship with customers.
It’s not clear what led the two suspects allegedly involved in Okoye’s death to shoot him. He was shot and killed around 6:30 a.m. last Saturday morning after an argument.
Surveillance images provide clear views of the suspects in the case. But it’s not clear what prompted the argument.
“Maybe he was asking them something,” Amadi said. “The next thing, the guy shot him two times … But you couldn’t hear it well.”
Okoye died a short time after he was taken to the hospital on Saturday. Police said the suspects were seen leaving in a dark colored four-door Mercedes.
Prince George’s County police are offering a $25,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and indictment in the case. Police are asking anyone with information to contact Crime Solvers online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, the “P3 Tips” mobile app (search “P3 Tips” in the Apple Store or Google Play to download the app onto your mobile device), or call 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
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A woman has been reunited with her dog after she says her pet was stolen at gunpoint on Saturday morning in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
A woman has been reunited with her dog after she says her pet was stolen at gunpoint on Saturday morning in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
(Courtesy Sophia Radich)
Courtesy Sophia Radich
Sophia Radich’s dog was reportedly stolen outside of her apartment on Aug. 31, 2024. The two were reunited after Radich put up fliers and offered a reward for the safe return of her pet.
(Courtesy Sophia Radich)
Courtesy Sophia Radich
A woman has been reunited with her dog after she says her pet was stolen at gunpoint on Saturday morning in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Sophia Radich told WTOP she was reunited with her dog on Sunday afternoon after a tipster spotted her pet in Landover and reached out.
The robbery reportedly happened near the 4800 block of Avondale Overlook Drive in Chillum at around 7 a.m. on Saturday, according to Prince George’s County police.
Before the reunion, Radich was searching for Yana, a small Havanese, sharing photos of Yana online and posting flyers near her apartment, as well as nearby busy areas like bus stops and metro stations.
“I put the $5,000 reward on it, because, like, this is my child,” Radich told WTOP earlier on Sunday. “I’m going to get her back.”
Before leaving for a trip, Sophia Radich said she took her dog, Yana, for a walk outside of her apartment building. That’s when she said two suspects approached her from behind.
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Surveillance camera footage captures an armed dognapping in Chillum, Md.
Footage from a neighbor’s Ring camera shows the scene where one suspect, wearing a ski mask, demanded she hand over her dog — Yana, a small Havanese.
“I thought he was pulling a prank or something,” Radich told WTOP, adding that she believed the suspects appeared to be kids or teens.
The masked suspect tried to take the dog’s leash from Radich, who pulled the leash back. He then pulled out a gun and held it to the dog owner’s head, she said.
“He’s yanking her so hard that, like, it’s pulling on her neck,” Radich said. “He was carrying her, basically by her neck, by the leash. So I let go, so she wasn’t strangled.”
The masked suspect continued to point a gun at her while running away. Radich said when she tried to call 911, the second suspect chased after her.
“I don’t want my dog in danger ever, so if that means they had to take her to not kill me, so be it,” she said.
Radich said she tripped and that suspect got “on top of me trying to get my phone.” He ran off after she called for help and fought back.
“I was horrified — 7 a.m., broad daylight like that,” she said.
Radich said the suspects left in a black vehicle.
Police haven’t placed an official lookout on a vehicle.
Police are asking anyone with information to contact the department.
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A Maryland teacher has been arrested on a charge of sexual abuse of a former student, with police saying he possessed sexually explicit images of the victim.
A Maryland teacher has been arrested on a charge of sexually abusing a former student, with police saying he obtained sexually explicit images of a girl under the age of 10.
Mark Cobb, 44, of Bowie, teaches at Cooper Lane Elementary School in Landover Hills.
According to the Prince George’s County police, Cobb was texting with the young student between June 2023 and this August. During that time, Cobb asked for and received sexually inappropriate photos of the student, police said in a news release Tuesday.
According to charging documents, the girl told police Cobb asked her to engage in sexual acts with him.
Police said they were first made aware of allegations against Cobb on Sunday, who was arrested Monday after an interview with police and a search of his home.
Cobb told police the young girl did send him sexually explicit images and that “he wanted to see how far she would go,” charging documents state. He also admitted to asking to engage in sexual acts with the young girl, according to the documents.
He’s charged with sexually abusing a minor, nine counts of possession of child sex abuse images, and another charge related to obtaining sexually inappropriate images.
Detectives have not discovered any more victims at the school, and they are asking anyone with information relevant to the case to call them at 301-772-4930. Anonymous tips can also be submitted online via Crime Solvers.
In a letter sent to Cooper Lane Elementary School families, Principal Micah Pate said the school is fully cooperating with law enforcement. Pate also said additional counselors will be available to assist students and staffers who need additional support.
“We understand that students, staff, and families may experience a wide range of emotions in response to this situation,” Pate wrote in the letter. “In light of these events, we strongly encourage parents and guardians to be vigilant about their children’s digital activities and online safety. Monitoring online interactions and maintaining open communication with your child about their digital habits are critical steps in keeping them safe.”
The letter did not specifically mention Cobb, or any action surrounding his employment with the school system.
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Prince George’s County police are reminding people about what to watch for when it comes to scams, while revealing more about how scammers target victims.
Scam artists keep getting more sophisticated, and the sheer number of them and the amount of money they’ve taken continues to spike compared to a year ago. That has Prince George’s County police reminding people about what to watch for, while revealing more about how scammers target victims.
In June, a county resident called police embarrassed to admit she had fallen prey to what’s considered a tech scam. Malware on her computer popped up and told her to call a number because of a virus.
“The victim called the number and was then connected with three separate individuals who all identified themselves to be working on the victim’s behalf,” said Lt. Joseph Bellino, who leads the police department’s financial crimes division. “First was the tech support scammer, who advised her that he was working to resolve her computer (issues) and requested to remote access into her device.”
A lot of the time, that malware is in the form of a “pop-up” ad that gives you a number to call, but sometimes it can be embedded in an ad on whatever search engine you use. Police have concerns about how well the links in those ads are vetted by companies that run the search engines.
“When they ask to remote into your device, what we believe they’re doing is looking at the browsing history of the victim,” said Bellino. “And from that, they’re able to determine the banking institution just from looking at the browsing history. They then bring that information forward, as if it was information that only somebody who knows them would have known, and the victims don’t realize that they’re viewing their browsing history.”
Bellino said that gives the scammers legitimacy in the eyes of the victim.
Last month, the scammers then posed as officials with the Social Security Administration, using official letterhead to email a letter as an attachment, since the victim was around the age where they would begin receiving Social Security.
Bellino said the language in the letter was grammatically weak, as if it was written by someone in a foreign country. But he worries that the use of artificial intelligence will make those letters even more believable in the coming months, while also helping scam artists better disguise their voices.
In this case, the victim was led to believe her bank account had been hacked and her bank and the federal government were working to limit the damage. She withdrew a large amount of money from her account, thinking she was acting before bad guys on the dark web could steal from her.
But the man who showed up to help her wasn’t a representative from the bank, and he wasn’t there to help.
Video shows a man giving her a code word, which had been provided by people she had spoken with on the phone before. Police are hoping someone can help identify him.
“In recent history, we have had cases where transnational, organized crime groups have had syndicates in our region, groups of individuals who come and do personal courier pickups, who are in communication with the call centers,” Bellino said.
Between January and August of last year, 13 similar tech scams were reported to police — the financial losses of which totaled $287,000. So far this year, more than 20 such scams have resulted in almost double the amount of losses.
“Scams of this nature do not get reported to law enforcement; many times, because the victims feel ashamed for the loss and how the crime is perpetrated,” Bellino said. “We urge members of the public, if they have been victimized by tech support scams, please come forward.”
How are victims found?
Inadvertently or not, you can make yourself visible to scammers by clicking on malware. But with all the calls, text messages and emails you get from these scammers every day, the reality is there’s a huge list of potential victims, and your name is probably on it.
“Information is sold on the dark web,” Bellino said. “From what we see, some of our victims are middle aged and younger, but many of them are older adults, who are more prone to respond and answer (to these scams).”
“When they’re making a phone call, they have information on their end of who they’re contacting, potentially who their relatives could be, an idea of maybe the value of their home,” Bellino added. “You have to believe that all this information is out there. And so, when they’re making contact with their victims, they already are holding information that the victim thinks may be private.”
Once scammers get a response from you, Bellino described it as “psychological warfare” and the goal is to always keep you in fear about what could happen. The easiest way to not become a victim is to not answer the phone if you don’t recognize a phone number, whether it comes in the form of a call or a text message. Likewise, never call a number on a pop-up ad.
“It’s difficult as the population ages and the mental capacities of older adults diminishes on all of us,” Bellino said. “We see that the targeting by these criminal groups is only going to increase.”
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“(Police) were leaving down the street when they heard gunshots and they quickly turned around, they came back to the scene. They were flagged down by citizens who were actually performing lifesaving measures on the female adult victim,” Batth said.
A weapon was recovered at the scene, and police are still working to identify a suspect and motive.
The shooting took place after a vigil to honor Jackson, 23-year-old Isaiah “Zay” Hazel and 24-year-old Anthony “AJ” Lytton Jr., who died in a crash on Route 4/Pennsylvania Avenue at Presidential Parkway on July 6.
‘I want a season of healing’
Cameron Hyson, a 2018 graduate of Wise High School and a classmate of Jackson, Hazel and Lytton, told WTOP’s Dick Uliano that Omar also went to school with them.
Hyson didn’t attend the vigil, but said he considered Omar a friend and is “praying for his family and his unborn child, his children and his significant other.”
He added, “I want a season of healing and just things to get better on this side of town for everybody.”
When asked about gun violence in the community, Hyson said, “I wish there was more guidance for the youth, more education about guns, because I think there’s a lot of misinformation and people don’t understand how dangerous guns can be.”
Hyson also noted that there are not a lot of “third places” for youth — spots where young people can go besides school, work and home.
Pastor Michael Isaac, of Partakers Church of Christ Ministries in Temple Hills, whose son graduated from Wise High School in 2010, said he’s lived in the area for 19 years. He said he believes that violence has “escalated” since.
Isaac said he grew up in D.C., and “there were always activities going on where it kept the youth engaged” after school.
“We were just more of a community,” he said.
To reduce crime, Isaac said the broader community must come together to support young people.
“Faith without works is dead. That’s what I believe,” Isaac said. “And we have to not just pray, but we need to get involved. There needs to be some action.”
WTOP’s Dick Uliano, Ciara Wells and Matt Kaufax contributed to this report.
A man who police said was a suspect in an attempted armed robbery was struck by a car and killed outside a home in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, early Friday morning.
A man who police said was a suspect in an attempted armed robbery was struck by a car and killed outside a home in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, early Friday morning.
Prince George’s County police said officers went to a gas station in the 9200 block of Crain Highway around 12:50 a.m. to speak with a man who said he was the victim of an attempted armed robbery that happened in the 9500 block of Tiberias Drive.
The man told police that he struck one of the suspects who he said attempted to rob him with his car. The victim then drove to the gas station to call 911, according to police.
Police said the suspect “was pronounced deceased on the scene.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact homicide detectives by phone at 301-516-2512 or via text at 866-411-8477.
A map of the area is below.
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A man has died and two other people are injured after a shooting outside of a convenience store in District Heights, Maryland, on Monday afternoon, police said.
A man has died and two other people are injured after a shooting outside of a convenience store in District Heights, Maryland, on Monday afternoon, police said.
Prince George’s County Police Capt. Sonny Batth said officers responded to the 5400 block of Marlboro Pike around 3:15 p.m. When they got there, they found three people with gunshot wounds.
One person, a man in his 20s, was pronounced dead on the scene, Batth said. The other two, a woman in her 50s and a man in his 60s, were taken to local hospitals.
The man is in stable condition, Batth said, and the woman was in surgery for her injuries as of Monday night.
The shooting happened in the parking lot near the 24/7 Fresh Market convenience store, Batth said.
Below is a map of where the shooting took place:
Officers were “out here going through all the evidence to piece together what really took place today here,” Batth said.
Police haven’t said what may have led up to the shooting, or whether those involved knew each other.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact police at 866-411-8477 or online.
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A search is underway in Prince George’s County, Maryland, for four or more suspects, at least one of whom opened fire on a county police detective Wednesday night, according to authorities.
A search is underway in Prince George’s County, Maryland, for four or more suspects, at least one of whom opened fire on a county police detective Wednesday night, according to authorities.
The shooting happened in the area of Trumbull Drive in Marlton just after 7 p.m., when “at least one male suspect fired a weapon multiple times” at a Prince George’s County Police Department detective, PGPD said in a post on X.
Some of the bullets struck the detective’s vehicle, but the officer was not injured. PGPD said the detective did not return fire.
According to the department, the detective spotted a vehicle that had been carjacked Wednesday afternoon in the Clinton area. At least four male suspects were inside and bailed out of the vehicle after shots were fired at the detective, police said.
No arrests were made after what police said was “an extensive search.”
Police urged anyone with information on the case to call Prince George’s County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS or submit a tip using the P3 Tips app.
Below is a map of the area where the shooting happened:
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A 20-year-old Largo, Maryland, woman is dead after being found shot inside her car in a ditch. According to Maryland…
A 20-year-old Largo, Maryland, woman is dead after being found shot inside her car in a ditch.
According to Maryland State Police, Nyah Strong Hairston was located shortly before 10:45 p.m. Friday in her Nissan Versa near southbound Interstate 495 before Landover Road.
She was found unresponsive.
According to state police, she had suffered a gunshot wound. Hairston was taken to the University of Maryland Capital Regional Trauma Center for medical treatment.
Anyone who witnessed the shooting or may have information regarding the person or persons responsible is urged to contact Maryland State Police at 443-829-9227.
Below is a map of the area where it happened.
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A security guard was shot and killed outside a Hyattsville, Maryland, nightclub in March 2023 and police and family members are searching for suspects.
Aaron Watkins, brother of Alex Lynch, who was a security guard at the Area Code Gentlemen’s Club in Hyattsville, Maryland, where he was shot and killed in March 2023. (WTOP/Nick Iannelli)
Aaron Watkins, brother of Alex Lynch, who was a security guard at the Area Code Gentlemen’s Club in Hyattsville, Maryland, where he was shot and killed in March 2023. (WTOP/Nick Iannelli)
Police and family members in Prince George’s County, Maryland, pleaded for help Wednesday as they continue to search for a motive and suspects in a March 2023 shooting outside a Hyattsville nightclub that left a man dead.
“This case is not cold,” said Lt. Shane Goudreau with Prince George’s County police. “People are willing to talk sometimes about things that happened previously, and we’re really hoping that somebody can call us and give us a tip.”
It shows a car pulling up before the driver, front seat passenger and a back seat passenger all begin shooting toward the business.
“There are specific items of clothing that can be looked at that people are wearing,” Goudreau said, urging members of the public to watch and see if they can recognize the suspects.
Two customers at the business were also shot and injured.
“Our belief is that he (Lynch) was targeted specifically,” Goudreau said. “We don’t have anything to say definitively that it was from his work as a security guard or something maybe from his personal life.”
The victim’s brother, Aaron Watkins, said the past year has been “total hell.”
“The family wants to know why y’all killed my little brother,” Watkins said in a direct message to the shooters, urging them to turn themselves in.
Watkins described his brother as passionate, family-oriented and outgoing.
“There was never a dull moment when Alex was around,” Watkins said. “He kept everyone laughing and giggling.”
Watkins encouraged anyone who has any information to call Prince George’s County police.
“What we want is closure,” Watkins said. “Any little information will help.”
A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest and indictment in the case.
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A $25,000 reward is being offered and police are pleading for tips from the public after a D.C. teen was gunned down in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Prince George’s Police Chief Malik Aziz addresses the media on Wednesday, Aug. 22. (WTOP/Michelle Basch)
Prince George’s Police Chief Malik Aziz addresses the media on Wednesday, Aug. 22. (WTOP/Michelle Basch)
A $25,000 reward is being offered and police are pleading for tips from the public after a D.C. teen was gunned down in Prince George’s County, Maryland, earlier this month.
De’Marco Bradford, 16, was found shot and wounded along with another man in the 1000 block of Kennebec Street in Oxon Hill at about 9:55 p.m. on April 22, according to Prince George’s County police.
Both were rushed to the hospital where Bradford died several days later. The man’s injuries are not considered life-threatening, police said.
Detectives are still working to determine a motive and to identify a suspect or suspects.
“Right now, we’re literally at ground zero in this investigation,” Prince George’s County Police Chief Malik Aziz told WTOP.
When asked whether the shooting was random or targeted or whether police are looking for more than one shooter, Aziz said police are only now getting to the point of being able to interview the only witness who they know of at this point.
“Our homicide detectives, they are used to doing a lot with a little and all they need is a little so we’re looking for any small piece of information,” Aziz said. “We’re asking people, please come forward, because this could have been your son.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Prince George’s Crime Solvers online. Tipsters, who can remain anonymous, can also call 1-866-411-8477 and refer to case number 24-0023153.
Regarding a rise in violent crime involving young people in the county, Aziz said, “We’re going through some kind of cycle that is negative that I’m hoping that we can get out of it.”
A youth curfew is now in effect at National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Maryland, after a surge in incidents involving young people.
A youth curfew is now in effect at National Harbor in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Unaccompanied kids and teens who are 16 and younger aren’t allowed there on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights from 5 p.m. to 6 a.m. The first time a kid is caught unsupervised will come with a warning. After that, a written notice will be mailed to their parents.
The curfew comes after rowdy scenes last weekend, when about 800 young people at National Harbor were fighting, shoplifting, illegally smoking and engaging in other criminal behavior, Police Chief Malik Aziz said.
A sign at National Harbor seen on April 26, 2024. (WTOP/Matt Kaufax)
Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks declared a state of emergency Thursday that allows officials to enforce the curfew.
Alsobrooks’ order came after the Prince George’s County Council took action to address incidents at National Harbor this week. The Committee of the Whole passed an emergency bill Tuesday that would let the county police chief designate juvenile curfew zones if requested by retail and commercial property owners.
That legislation could be taken up by the council next week. If passed, it would not become law until late next month at the earliest.
WTOP’s Matt Kaufax was at National Harbor when the curfew went into effect.
“There’s not a lot of activity on the streets, but you can see an elevated police presence,” he said. “I just had a squad car pull up to me a few seconds ago and there are signs clearly delineating all around National Harbor that the Prince George’s County emergency juvenile curfew is in effect.”
In the area of National Plaza and Waterfront Street, Kaufax said he spoke with a number of business owners about the curfew who said they really don’t have to worry about things until it gets dark.
“But, they say, when that happens, there have been a lot of issues recently with looting, vandalism, yelling, profanity, lots of fighting, lots of teens out and about just causing rowdiness and committing crime, frankly, in this area late night. They are in favor — every small business owner who I’ve spoken to today is in favor of this curfew,” he said.
Prince George’s County police confirmed to WTOP that exact data of how many warnings were dolled out will be released on Monday.
WTOP’s Jessica Kronzer and Matt Kaufax contributed to this report.
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“A lot of them are very simple assaults,” Prince George’s County Police Chief Malik Aziz said the county’s overall crime is down 13% so far this year. However, he said violent crime is up 11%.
Nationwide, crime is trending generally down, and that’s the case in Prince George’s County, Maryland, too — but not when it comes to violent crime, which county police said is up so far this year.
At a Monday afternoon hearing, Prince George’s County Police Chief Malik Aziz offered a quick rundown on where things stand after the first third of the year, as he went over the department’s budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year.
During the hearing, Aziz said the county’s overall crime is down 13% so far and that nonviolent crime is down 18%. However, he said violent crime is up 11%.
Assaults and domestic violence — especially assaults — account for that spike, Aziz said.
“They take a large part and they fall into the violent crime category. But … a lot of them are very simple assaults,” he said.
The 29 murders recorded in the county so far this year is slightly ahead of last year’s pace, but Aziz said the county’s murder rate had been on the decline through most of the year. Aziz also said that a third of those murders are related to domestic violence.
Arrests for illegal guns have also gone down so far this year, but Aziz cast doubt on the idea that it’s because there are fewer of them in the wrong hands.
Aziz said police believe “the advent of the new law last July 1, that said that no searches could be conducted of a car that was reeking of cannabis odor” contributed to the downward trend of weapons found on the street. He mentioned that many guns were previously recovered from cars that officers searched while looking for marijuana.
Now, Aziz said most arrests happen when an officer sees a gun inside a vehicle after pulling someone over for another reason — but in any case, he is certain there are more ghost guns in the county than before.
“We’re seeing an increase in 3D-printed weapons,” Aziz said. “Young kids who are more attuned to technology are making those type of weapons … and they are unserialized weapons. They fall in the same category.”
Property crime is down, too, though crimes related to thefts from inside or on the outside of vehicles are on the rise.
In terms of carjackings, there have been nearly 100 in the county so far this year, with juveniles accounting for 50 of the 65 people arrested for the crime. In 2023, the county approached 600 carjackings.
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Ghost guns — untraceable firearms usually put together by someone using unassembled or homemade components — are already illegal in Maryland. A new law in Prince George’s County aims to crack down even more.
Ghost guns — untraceable firearms usually put together by someone using unassembled or homemade components — are already illegal in Maryland.
Nonetheless, they’ve been used in some high profile crimes in Prince George’s County in recent years, including several that involve juveniles.
Now, the Prince George’s County Council wants to give prosecutors a new tool that will go after those who help juveniles get their hands on one.
A new bill written by Council member Krystal Oriadha would make it illegal to give a juvenile such a weapon, including the technology or components that can be used to make one.
“We have this technology and our laws have to catch up with it,” Oriadha said. “We’re seeing, one, them getting their hands on the gun already manufactured. But then also, we’re seeing people sharing the data and the technology. And so we just want to make sure that our laws stay on top of what’s happening in the community.”
It’s an idea she hopes state lawmakers in Annapolis will replicate statewide next year.
“They addressed ghost guns,” Oriadha said. “But what we did not see and where we wanted to step in, is really focusing on sharing the data, making that clear that if you share any of the technology for any parts, or any facets of a weapon, that it would be against the law.”
Oriadha said because it’s not against state law yet, the county law can only be a misdemeanor. If it passes, it would be punishable by up to six months in jail and the highest fine allowed, which is currently $1,000.
“We know that this one piece of legislation won’t stop gun violence, right? I don’t think it will,” she said. “But what we have to say is that we will make sure that we provide all the tools and resources for our police and our prosecutors to hold people accountable when they are getting weapons in the hands of young people.”
Oriadha said it’s all about the data and making sure the county is equipped to deal with trends as they emerge.
“Because what we don’t want to see is … a lot of adults or young adults sharing that data and then, when it comes to how our state’s attorney and our police can hold them accountable, they don’t have the tools and resources,” she said.
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A Prince George’s County police officer shot someone after detectives surveilling a carjacked vehicle, watched two masked individuals get out, enter a GameStop and try to rob the store, according to authorities.
A Prince George’s County police office shot someone accused of robbing a GameStop in District Heights, police said.(WTOP/Mike Murillo)
A Prince George’s County police office shot someone accused of robbing a GameStop in District Heights, police said.(WTOP/Mike Murillo)
Prince George’s County police have identified the three men accused of trying to rob a GameStop on Thursday, before police intervened and shot one of the suspects.
Kanard Bishop, 26, Edward Leroy Brown, 24, and Kahlill Boyd, 18, all of D.C., face armed robbery and other charges, police said in a news release Friday.
Police were in the 5700 block of Silver Hill Road in District Heights surveilling a carjacked vehicle just after 3 p.m. Thursday, when detectives saw two masked men get out, enter a GameStop and try to rob the store, according to Prince George’s County Police Chief Malik Aziz.
Bishop and Brown were armed when they entered the GameStop in the Penn Station Shopping Center, according to police.
The detectives followed the pair into the store and saw them behind the counter. When the detectives announced themselves as police, the masked men ran out the back of the store and into the parking lot, according to Aziz.
“A detective discharged his weapon, striking one of the suspects in the lower body, lower leg area,” Aziz said. “The officers provided emergency medical care to the injured suspect, who is now at the hospital receiving treatment.”
Brown has since been released from the hospital. Police said Friday he ran toward a detective before that officer fired their weapon.
No one else was hurt.
The officer who fired their weapon has been placed on administrative duty, Aziz said.
Aziz said the second masked individual, Bishop, was caught and taken into custody. A third man who stayed in the carjacked vehicle fled the scene after ramming it into an unmarked police car. The driver, Boyd, was later arrested in the District, according to police.
Police recovered two guns in the parking lot behind the GameStop, Aziz said.
The vehicle involved had been carjacked at gunpoint the day before the attempted robbery, according to police.
Aziz said his detectives were in the right place at the right time.
“We are fortunate that they were here. We don’t know what would’ve happened to the worker who was inside this business while these individuals were conducting a robbery,” Aziz said. “On this one, we were able to intervene. Of course, we would like no use of force to be committed here. We would like people to be taken into custody without incident.”
WTOP’s Mike Murillo contributed to this report.
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