UPPER MARLBORO, Md. — In the last week, seven people were fatally shot in Prince George’s County.
Calling the trend atypical, the police chief Thursday expressed his concern in the pattern leading to gunfire.
Phillip Michael, 34, of Southeast D.C. and 31-year-old Kenneth Edmond of District Heights are the latest victims in what has been a deadly week in Prince George’s County. The two were killed after an argument between two groups Thursday.
“I understand how that could create some concern in the minds of the community, but we are on the verge of closing two. We have solid leads in the rest,” said Chief Hank Stawinski.
There are four fewer homicides this year than this time in 2016, but Stawinski is concerned about a trend he’s seeing in the spate of violence.
“These are all interpersonal disputes: long-standing, known parties that have devolved tragically into solving a problem with a gun,” he said.
Homicide detectives in the county have been working overtime, skipping the holiday with their families to handle the caseload, the chief said.
“It’s incomprehensible that a dispute between two people leads to someone being killed. That’s unacceptable,” he said.
Residents who get in an argument with someone should just walk away, Stawinski said.
