Hide Transcript Show Transcript

THE FRONT IN ORDER TO DRIVE THE CAR DIRECTLY INTO THE STORE. THE FRON OF THE SHOP IS BOARDED UP DAMAGED IN A BURGLARY EARLY , WEDNESDAY MORNING WHERE AS MANY AS 20 GUNS WERE TAKEN. >> OUR OFFICERS RESPONDED AND WHEN THEY GOT THERE THEY SAW LARGE VAN HAD ENTERED THE BUILDING, DRIVEN INTO THE BUILDING, AND ULTIMATELY WE LATER LEARNED THAT MULTIPLE FIREARMS HAD BEEN STOLEN. IT IS KIND OF CRAZY FOR SOMETHING LIK THIS TO HAPPEN IN HOWARD COUNTY. REPORTER: NEIGHBORING BUSINESS OWNERS SAY THEY’RE SURPRISED T HEAR WHAT HAPPENED IN WHAT IS NORMALLY A SAFE AREA. >> IT IS A LITTLE DISCONCERTING TO BE HONEST, BUT IN THE YEARS I’VE BEEN HERE I REALLY HAVEN’T FELT UNSAFE. I HOPE THIS IS A ONE OFF OCCURENCE AND WE DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT. REPORTER: EARLY THURSDAY MORNING, A SIMILAR SITUATION IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, AN SUV DROVE INTO A GUN SHOP IN ROCKVILLE, FIVE SUSPECTS STOLE A BUNCH OF GUNS BEFORE DRIVING OF POLICE WENT AFTER THE THIEVES, ONE SUSPECT WAS KILLED, FOUR OTHERS HAVE NOT BEEN CAUGHT. WHILE BOTH BURGLARIES ARE PSIMILAR, INVESTIGATORS HAVEN’T DEFINITIVELY LINKED THEM. >> WE’VE REACHED OUT TO MONTGOMERY COUNTY DETECTIVES, SO THAT WE CAN COMPARE INFORMATION . THAT’S PRETTY TYPICAL IN SITUATIONS WHERE THERE MIGHT BE A SIMILAR M.O. REPORTER: BACK IN FULTON, SOME BUSINESSES SAY THIS IS A WAKE UP CALL. >> WE’RE GOING TO MAKE SURE OUR CAMERAS AND ALARMS ARE UP AND RUNNING AS THEY SHOULD BE. REPORTER THE OWNER OF FOX’S FIREARMS AND SAYS THEY WILL BE OPEN FOR BUSINESS. IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION, THE POLICE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. WBAL TV 11 NEWS. STAN: TONIGHT, MONTGOMERY COUNTY POLICE CONFIRMED THE OFFICER WHO RESPONDED TO THE BURGLARY CALL OPENED FIRE ON THE SUSPECT’S VEHICLE AFTER IT RAMMED AND DISABLED HIS CRUISER. AND THAT THE SUSPECT FOUND DEAD IN THE VEHICLE DIED OF A GUNSHOT WOUND. THE OFFICER INVOLVED HAS BEEN PLACED ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE. PENDING REVIEW. THERE IS A $10,000 REWARD

Advertisement Assailants identified in burglary of gun shops in Howard, Montgomery counties Fulton gun shop burglary similar to Rockville case Share Shares Copy Link Copy

Police in Howard and Montgomery counties are investigating two gun shop burglaries.In both cases, thieves drove a vehicle into the shops before stealing guns. Police have not yet linked the two crimes.On Friday, Montgomery County police identified the suspects involved in the gun store robbery. Officials said Brandon Allen Jackson, 17, Terrence Massey Jr., 21 and a juvenile suspect were involved in the robbery. All three are from Anne Arundel County. Jackson is charged as an adult, while the juvenile is charged as a juvenile, officials said. Marquis Weems, 17, of Anne Arundel County, was identified as the fifth assailant who was found dead in the vehicle, police said. That person was wounded by gunfire, WRC-TV reported. Officer John Gloss, a 20-year veteran assigned to the Patrol Services Bureau, has been placed on administrative leave, pending review. Police say 17 of the stolen guns have been recovered. The suspects also accused of robbing a gun store in Howard County. The front of Fox's Firearms in Fulton is completely boarded up and closed for business after the burglary early Wednesday morning."All I see is yellow tape and a big hole in the wall," said Shawn Vernon, manager of All Seasons Pool and Spa, located next to Fox's Firearms. "It's kind of crazy for something like this to happen in Howard County."The assailants took as many as 20 guns and left before police arrived."Our officers responded, and when they got there, they saw a large van had entered the building, driven into the building, and ultimately, we later learned that multiple firearms had been stolen," Howard County police spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn said.The owner of the store declined to comment, but others who work in the shopping center said they still feel safe. "It's a little disconcerting to be honest, but in the years I've been here, I really haven't felt unsafe. I hope this is a one-off occurrence and we don't have to worry about it," Vernon said.A similar situation was reported early Thursday morning in Montgomery County, where an SUV drove into United Gun Shop in Rockville. Five assailants stole guns before driving off and crashing into a police cruiser. An officer pulled out their weapon and fired into the vehicle, which broke down a few blocks away, WRC-TV reported. "We've reached out to Montgomery County detectives so that we can compare information, and that's pretty typical in situations where there might be a similar modus operandi," Llewellyn said.While police investigate, business owners in Fulton are thinking of those at Fox's Firearms and hoping they can recover from this quickly."They've been good business neighbors. They're good people, and I trust Howard County to take care of bringing these people in so it doesn't happen again," Vernon said.The business owners also said the incident is a wake-up call."We're going to make sure our cameras and alarms are up and running as they should be," Vernon said.Investigators continue to work with the ATF to develop further information regarding the stolen firearms from both the Montgomery County and Howard County gun store burglaries. Howard County Police are continuing their investigation and anticipate filing similar charges in the near future.A $10,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest in the case. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County at 866-411-TIPS.