Police arrested a suspect armed with an AR-15 rifle on Friday afternoon following a multi-scene rampage that included multiple shootings, a car accident and a carjacking that occurred between Riverdale and Greenbelt.
Two shooting victims were in the hospital Friday evening, along with the suspect, whom police said probably sustained his injuries in a car accident during the incident.
Prince George’s County Police Chief George Nader said at a press conference on Friday that charges against the suspect will include attempted murder, carjacking and weapons violations.
Although Prince George’s County Fire Chief Thelmetria Michaelides said at the press conference that the victims suffered “non-threatening emergency,” Nader said one of them was “right now fighting for his life, and we hope that it’s not going to be a murder charge.”
Nader said police took the first call about the fast-moving incident at 2:30 p.m. The caller reported a man with a gun in the 5100 block of Pierce Avenue in College Park.
At approximately 2:51 p.m., a 64-year-old man was shot at, but the round struck a glass window, causing lacerations to the victim’s head, said Nader, who did not specify a location.
Next, police responded to a car accident at 67th Avenue and Patterson Street in East Riverdale. Nader said the suspect exited his vehicle and began shooting at people, striking an adult male.
Shortly after that, a female was shot at and carjacked near Kenilworth Avenue and Good Luck Road in Riverdale Park.
An off-duty, unarmed county police officer witnessed the carjacking and chased the suspect, Nader said. During the pursuit, the suspect exited his vehicle and fired shots at the off-duty officer on Edmonston Road near Greenbelt Road. U.S. Park Police officers who tracked the pursuit via shared radio channels intercepted the suspect, who pointed his weapon at them but surrendered without shooting. Nader said officers suspected that the shooter had run out of bullets.
Officers from Greenbelt, Cheverly and Seat Pleasant engaged in the incident.
Local schools were placed on lockdown during the ordeal but were dismissed at approximately 4:25 p.m.
Police temporarily shut down Greenbelt Road at the intersection with Kenilworth Avenue; Kenilworth Avenue near Campus Drive; and Riverdale Road beneath the Baltimore-Washington Parkway.
Nader said police do not know the motive for the shootings but said they do not believe the incident was an act of terrorism. He said police will release the name of the suspect once charges have been filed.
County police have teamed with the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office for the investigation.