ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Police Chief Gregory Der was joined by Howard County Executive Calvin Ball and State’s Attorney Rich Gibson to update the community on several police cases, which led to the arrest of an October homicide. Howard County police have charged two Baltimore men in an October fatal shooting in Columbia. The arrests came after a gun used in the shooting was located during a search warrant in a separate robbery and firearms investigation, which resulted in the arrests of three teenagers and one adult. Pictures from the event can be found here.

Today’s announcement is a demonstration of the commitment, creativity, strategic thinking, and resource-sharing among our investigative team. As a result of these resources, cases like these can be linked and investigated as a shared effort to solve violent crimes and arrest those responsible.

Gregory Der
Chief, Howard County Police Department

At approximately 9:55 p.m. on Oct. 16, officers responded to the 6000 block of Foreland Garth for gunshots and located a 30-year-old male victim with a gunshot wound outside the Exxon gas station. He was transported for treatment and has been released. A few minutes later, two additional victims appeared at the Howard County Medical Center. One victim, Dylan Migel Perez, 24, of Baltimore, died as a result of his injuries. The other victim, a 22-year-old male, was treated and released.

In a separate case, detectives were continuing to investigate a July 16 robbery on Melba Road in Ellicott City. A juvenile male victim reported that he was approached by two male suspects who displayed a gun and stole his belongings before fleeing. No one was injured.

On Oct. 19, detectives served search warrants at multiple locations in Columbia in the July robbery case and found numerous illegal weapons. As a result, they seized multiple guns, including privately made firearms known as PMFs or “ghost guns,” in varies stages of assembly. It was determined one of those firearms had been used in the recent triple shooting that resulted in the death of Perez and the serious injury of two other victims.

Every day, we make it a priority to ensure every Howard County resident not only remains safe but feels safe. The efforts taken by our team at the Howard County Police Department helped us take another step towards reaching this goal. By combining investigative expertise in our violent crime, robbery, firearms, property crimes, and drug units, we are able to look at these cases through a wider lens. We are now one step closer to holding these suspects accountable and providing some closure on crimes that have disturbed our community.

Calvin Ball
Howard County Executive

Through investigation, detectives identified two suspects in the shooting. The identities of people under the age of 18 are sealed. On Nov. 2, police arrested and charged:

  • Shamond Isiah Steward, 18, of Baltimore, first- and second-degree murder, first-degree assault and firearms charges
  • Male, 17, of Baltimore, charged as an adult, first- and second-degree murder, first-degree assault and firearms charges

Five people have been charged in the robbery and illegal firearms cases. The identities of people under the age of 18 are sealed. 

  • Male, 16, of Columbia, possession of unregulated Privately Made Firearms
  • Male, 17, of Columbia, robbery, assault, illegal possession of multiple firearms
  • Male 17, of Columbia, robbery, assault, possession of unregulated Privately Made Firearms
  • Kevin Mobley, 46, of Columbia, illegal possession of multiple firearms, released on $50,000 bond

“These two cases are a perfect example of our office working in lockstep with the Howard County Police Department to fight violent crime,” said State’s Attorney Rich Gibson. “Although these alleged defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty, it is our goal to effectively marshal the evidence presented to us and hold those involved accountable.”

Howard County police are committed to identifying and removing illegal firearms from local communities. The department dedicates significant resources, offers rewards and maintains a tip line for any information about illegal guns and violent crime in Howard County at 410-313-STOP or HCPDcrimetips@howardcountymd.gov.

These efforts are supported by grant-funding from the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network, which helped us obtain equipment, technology, and overtime costs.

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Safa Hira, Director of Communications
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