The Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division and the Firearms Investigations Unit, continue to investigate an incident that happened last week in Rockville where an officer responded to a burglary-in-progress at the United Gun Store located in the 5400 block of Randolph Road.
Police say it was last Thursday that emergency dispatch was notified the United Gun Store in Rockville was being burglarized. The caller provided a lookout for five suspects, described as black males, to the call taker. or five suspects, described as black males, to the call taker.
As an officer responded to the scene, arriving at 2:39 a.m., and encountered a white SUV in front of the store. As the officer exited his police cruiser, the white SUV accelerated towards the officer and struck the officer’s police cruiser, disabling it. During the encounter, the officer discharged his service weapon.
The white SUV traveled down Randolph Road approximately a quarter mile where it became disabled. Investigators say four suspects exited the white SUV and fled on foot into the surrounding area. Additional responding officers encountered the white SUV in the travel lanes of Randolph Road. A fifth suspect was located unresponsive in the vehicle with a gunshot wound. Officers removed the unresponsive suspect from the vehicle to take life-saving actions that were ineffective. The suspect was deceased on the scene.
The deceased suspect has been identified as Marquis Weems, age 17, of Anne Arundel County.
The officer involved has been identified as Officer John Gloss, a 20-year veteran, assigned to the Patrol Services Bureau. Per standard procedure, Officer Gloss has been placed on administrative leave pending review.
Following the established procedure, once Major Crimes detectives complete their investigation of the officer-involved shooting, the findings will be submitted to the Howard County’s State’s Attorney’s Office for review.*
Detectives investigating the case, in cooperation with both the Howard County Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), have now linked the burglary in Rockville to the Fox’s Firearms gun store burglary in Howard County. {*An established agreement between the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office and the Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office stipulates that when an officer-involved shooting involving injury or death occurs in one county, the other county’s State’s Attorney’s Office will review the event.}
On Monday, detectives are announcing the arrests of 17 year old Brandon Allen Jackson, age of Anne Arundel County (charged as an adult – picture not released per police policy), 21 year old Terrence Massey, Jr., age 21, of Anne Arundel County, at 15 year old juvenile suspect from Anne Arundel County (charged as a juvenile).
Police say 17 guns have been recovered, with 10 firearms still outstanding from the Rockville burglary incident. Investigators continue to work with the ATF to develop further information regarding the stolen firearms from both the Montgomery County and Howard County gun store burglaries. Howard County Police are continuing their investigation and anticipate filing similar charges in the near future.
Detectives are asking for the public’s assistance to identify additional suspects in this incident. Anyone with information should contact the Major Crimes Division at 240-773-5070. To be eligible for a reward, tipsters may call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477) or enter a tip online. Crime Solvers will pay a cash reward of up to $10,000 for information provided to them that leads to an arrest and/or indictment of the suspect. Tipsters may remain anonymous.