Prince George's County, Maryland, police have started an investigation after gunfire struck two adults and a child during a Fourth of July celebration.
Prince George’s County, Maryland, police have started an investigation after gunfire struck two adults and a child during a Fourth of July celebration.
During a press conference moments after the shooting, Police Chief Malik Aziz identified three victims in a reported shooting just before 8 p.m. in the 4500 block of Akron Street in Marlow Heights. One of those victims was a young child.
“Our citizens were out enjoying themselves for the Fourth of July, having, you know, parties and get-togethers with families in front of the house,” Aziz said. “And at such time, at least two individuals we believe started … shooting weapons in the direction of another person.”
Preliminarily, police believe those two people were firing in a single direction when two adults and an unidentified male child were struck.
CRITICAL SHOOTING: At approx 7:50 pm, officers responded to the 4500 block of Akron St for a shooting. Prelim details: At least 3 people have been injured. One of the victims is a young child. The child was taken to a hospital in critical condition. pic.twitter.com/LAS5g9Pnch
— PGPDNEWS (@PGPDNews) July 5, 2024
Aziz said early indications appear to show an exchange of gunfire, though investigators have yet to confirm the exact number of suspects in the shooting. Among those people shot were a “very young child”
“Just know that it’s a very young child, early indications,” Aziz said, adding that “whether that child would be four or five, six or 10 or somewhere in between, one of our youngest citizens is in critical condition right now due to the recklessness of gunfire, of carrying weapons here, and using them in a neighborhood, on a beautiful day of celebration, severely injuring a young citizen.”
The police chief said that no suspects in the shooting have been identified moments before County Executive Angela Alsobrooks spoke about the shooting, calling the July 4 incident “unconscionable” as fireworks echoed into the night.
“Tonight, at a time where the rest of the country is celebrating freedom — the people in this community were here tonight celebrating with each other, having a barbecue, doing exactly what they should be able to do, and what they have a right to do in their community — when someone brought a gun to the occasion,” Alsobrooks said.
Aziz told reporters that the department doesn’t know if the shooters involved in the incident were part of the barbecue.
“But the fact of the matter is, all of these occasions, the ones that are community have a right to enjoy together, they have a right to enjoy coming together tonight as families, they turned violent when someone brings a gun,” Alsobrooks said. “We have got to get these guns off the street.”
Despite fireworks continuing to go off Thursday evening, Aziz said there were “absolutely no delays” to police response caused by ongoing displays.
“Of course, with all of the gunshots, it was very difficult when people are hearing gunshots, fireworks, and then they realize that those are not fireworks: it is actually shooting, it is weaponry,” the police chief said.
Additionally, Montgomery and Prince George’s County are among the Maryland jurisdictions that have enacted total fireworks bans, including for sparklers, except by licensed professionals putting on an authorized display.
Officials said they don’t know if the shooters involved in this incident were present at the celebration. One adult was taken to this hospital and is expected to survive, while the other adult “appears to have suffered a graze wound.” The unidentified child remains in critical condition.
Alsobrooks concluded that it’s unacceptable for families to experience violence when they come together for safe celebrations in their neighborhoods.
“Whether it be a child or an adult for any person to be in their community in a block party setting and to be unsafe only because someone brought a gun,” Alsobrooks said. “This is what we’re seeing — all of these disputes that would have ordinarily been resolved, maybe through a fist fight — a gun turns it deadly.”
An approximate location of the shooting is included in the map below.
This is a developing story. WTOP’s Ana Golden contributed to this report.
