One of the teenagers charged with shooting five other teens at a “Senior Skip Day” event at Schrom Hills Park in April has been acquitted. The second awaits trial this month.
The Senior Skip Day event on April 19 drew a crowd of hundreds of Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) students, from a variety of schools, who gathered at Schrom Hills. It ended with five students ranging in age from 16 to 18 taken to a hospital suffering from gunshot wounds, one in critical condition. All five recovered. (For more on the shooting see the April 25 issue.)
Ten days after the shooting, Greenbelt’s Chief of Police Richard Bowers announced the arrest of a 14- and a 16-year-old, both Bowie High School students. (For more on the arrests see the May 2 issue.)
On April 29, State’s Attorney for Prince George’s County Aisha Braveboy attended the press conference in Greenbelt and announced the teenagers would be tried as adults for at-tempted homicide and gun-related charges. However, this fall their cases were both transferred to juvenile court. They were held without bond since their arrests cited public safety concerns.
Last week, the first of the two teens stood trial and was acquitted.
The Associated Press (AP) reports the acquitted 16-year-old’s attorney, Tom Mooney, said police placed undue focus on the teenager, who has not been named because he is a juvenile, and failed to pursue other viable leads. Complaining of “investigative tunnel vision” and professing his client’s innocence, Mooney said, “The presence of reasonable doubt played a crucial role in the verdict,” reports AP.
The Greenbelt Police Department stood by their investigation while acknowledging the court’s decision. “The charges related to this case were brought after careful investigation by our officers, and we believe the case was thoroughly and fairly presented in court. However, it is the responsibility of the judicial system to determine guilt or innocence, and we honor that decision,” wrote Bowers in a statement to the News Review.
“We understand that this outcome may be difficult for those directly affected by the incident and the community at large. The Department remains dedicated to investigating and preventing violent crimes in our city and will continue to work tirelessly to hold individuals accountable through proper legal channels,” stated Bowers.
Asked about the implications for the trial of the second juvenile suspect, which is scheduled for this month, Deputy Police Chief Tim White said he couldn’t comment specifically but had reason to remain optimistic that the suspect would be held accountable.
“Our thoughts remain with all those impacted by this incident. We will continue to collaborate with local agencies and community partners to promote safety and peace within our neighborhoods,” wrote Bowers.