CONTACT:
Diane Richardson
Media Relations Office
(301) 609-6557 or (240) 682-1658
On April 26, at approximately 10:20 a.m., officers responded to the 10000 block of Spring Oak Court in La Plata for the report of a home invasion in progress. As officers were responding, 911 received additional calls advising the suspect – armed with a military-style long gun – had approached several homes in the neighborhood. He broke out a window to one house and then walked to the front yard of another home where he fired multiple rounds at the residence. When officers arrived, they heard numerous gunshots and observed the man firing at the house, which they learned was occupied by several people including children. One of the officers discharged his firearm, which struck and disabled the gunman. The officers approached the man, secured the weapon and initiated CPR until paramedics arrived. The man was transported to Charles Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased. Detectives are working to establish a motive and his name will be released once his next of kin has been identified. The officer, a five-year veteran, will be placed on administrative leave in accordance with agency policy. Anyone with additional information is asked to call Detective G. Higgs at (301) 609-6497. Tipsters wishing to remain anonymous may contact Charles County Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted online at www.charlescountycrimesolvers.com or by using the P3Intel mobile app. The investigation is ongoing.
The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is a full-service law enforcement agency comprised of more than 600 police, corrections and civilian personnel responsible for protecting more than 150,000 residents. The CCSO was accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in 2001 has been designated as a CALEA Gold Standard of Excellence agency since 2011. Established in 1658, the CCSO is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the United States. For more information, visit www.ccso.us.
Charles County Crime Solvers offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest or indictment of a person responsible for a crime in Charles County. All individuals who provide tips through Crime Solvers will remain anonymous. Anyone with information about an unsolved crime or the location of a fugitive may contact Charles County Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted online at www.charlescountycrimesolvers.com or by using the P3Intel mobile app, which can be found in the Android Store and Apple store by searching P3tips. For more information about the P3 program, click on this link: www.p3intel.com.