Police in Prince George’s County, Maryland, said two teens shot and killed a 16-year-old boy in a vacant apartment Thursday night, and then returned to the scene and shot at an officer who was investigating the killing.
The bullet “narrowly missed” the officer, Prince George’s County police said in a statement Friday.
Nelson Sanchez Perez, 17, of Langley Park, and Joshua Jurado, 19, of Chillum, have both been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of the other teen. Sanchez Perez is being charged as an adult.
Police identified the 16-year-old victim as Angel Villatoro, of Hyattsville.
Police were called to the apartment building in the 8100 block of 14th Avenue around 9:15 p.m. Thursday for the report of a shooting. They found Villatoro inside a vacant apartment with a gunshot wound, and he died at the scene.
About two hours later, an officer, who was still at the scene of the shooting, went to check out a noise he heard from a back bedroom window, police said. When he realized there were people outside the window, he identified himself as an officer.
Police said he heard the people outside yell “anti-police statements” at him, and then, “without warning,” the officer was shot at from outside the window.
Other officers outside the apartment chased the suspected shooters on foot and arrested Sanchez Perez and Jurado a short time later, police said.
Investigators believe Sanchez Perez and Jurado shot the 16-year-old during a dispute, fled the scene, and then returned and shot at the officer.
An address for Sanchez Perez provided by police indicates he lives in a neighboring building to the vacant apartment where Villatoro was fatally shot.
In addition to the murder charges, police said attempted murder charges related to the shot fired at the officer are pending.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Homicide Unit at 301-516-2512. Callers who want to remain anonymous can call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477), or can submit tips online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com.
