Police in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, are asking the public for help after four men were killed in separate deadly shootings last fall.
“In a three-week period between mid-October, late-October and mid-November last year, we had four young men gunned down. Their lives were stolen; their lives were precious,” Anne Arundel County police Chief Tim Altomare said in a news conference Thursday.
Though detectives do not believe these four homicides are related, police said that in each case, it’s likely there are more witnesses, and they’re hoping more people will come forward with more information about each shooting.
On Oct. 24, 2019, police said 45-year-old Robert Lee Thomas Jr. was shot outside his home in Brooklyn Park, Maryland; he died four days later in shock trauma.
Police said witnesses reported seeing someone standing over his body and firing a handgun multiple times. The suspect was then seen jumping onto an occupied dirt bike and taking off.
On Oct. 30, 2019, 39-year-old Andre Lee Garrett was taking an afternoon break behind his workplace in Glen Burnie, when police said he was shot and killed. Police said the area was busy, with it being right by the UM Baltimore Washington Medical Center. The suspect was seen driving a silver sedan.
Then, on Oct. 31, 2019, on Halloween evening in Glen Burnie, 24-year-old Michael Lee Wise III was gunned down as he was trick-or-treating with his girlfriend, several young relatives and his girlfriend’s mother. Police said he had been pushing a stroller with a child inside when he was shot and killed.
Though he was wearing a costume, police said Wise was not wearing a mask and so detectives do not believe this was a case of mistaken identity. Wise was shot in a residential area, and police believe there are more witnesses.
In the last case, on Nov. 18, 2019, police said before 28-year-old Xavier John Arthur Green was shot and killed in Glen Burnie, he had answered a knock to his door and went outside to talk to a man. A short time later, Green was found shot to death outside his home.
At the news conference Thursday, some of the victims’ relatives shared their stories and a plea for justice.
Garrett’s loved ones stood at the podium, holding photos of him with tears in their eyes.
“My heart is aching so bad,” Garrett’s mother said. “When you know that your loved one is gone and not coming back, it hurts.”
“He would’ve been 40 — March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day. He was looking forward to it. He was looking forward to buying a house. He got a promotion on his job,” his mom said. “But it hurts that someone just took it away. I’ll never get my son back.”
Altomare read out a statement from Green’s family, who were not at the news conference. The statement read, in part, “To date, justice has not been served because no one has been willing to identify the person responsible for taking Xavier’s life. We know that someone knows the truth and wants to do the right thing. And we are praying with expectancy that you will come forward.”
Police are offering up to $10,000 in each case for information leading to an arrest and conviction of suspect or suspects involved in the killings. Anyone with information about any of these cases can call the Homicide Unit at 410-222-4731. To leave an anonymous tip, call (410) 222-4700, or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP (1-866-756-2587).
