PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. — Police in Prince George's County are investigating a number of shooting scenes across the county Friday. In a 24-hour span, officers and detectives responded to five shootings that left seven people hurt. Of those, three people were killed.
At one point Thursday, officers responded to three shootings in a span of 55 minutes, between 5:20 p.m. and 6:15 p.m.
Beginning just after midnight, officers were called to the 4000 block of Warner Avenue for a reported shooting. Once on scene, the investigators found two men had been shot. They were both taken to the hospital for treatment of their injuries. Several hours later, one of the men died at the hospital. Police identified him as 28-year-old Rodney Wells of Hyattsville. The second man was in stable condition at last check.
Then, around 1:30 p.m., a shooting victim walked into a local hospital with a gunshot wound. Another person walked in with a gunshot injury around 1:45 p.m. Both injuries were considered not life-threatening. The shootings are thought to have taken place at the 900 block of Caslon Way in Hyattsville. Police have not released any identifying information about the victims in this case.
Next, officers were called to a shooting in the 1200 block of Palmer Road in Fort Washington around 5:20 p.m. Officers found a man shot in a car. He was pronounced dead at an area hospital. Police later identified the man as 20-year-old Avire Crowder, of Clinton, Maryland.
Around 30 minutes later, officers responded to a report of a shooting at a liquor store on Naylor Road in Hillcrest Heights. At the scene, officers discovered a man who had been shot to death.
A witness to the shooting told WUSA9 that the victim was shot in the head multiple times. Police identified the victim as 19-year-old Tyzaiah Gaither of Washington, D.C.
Then, at 6:15 p.m., police were called to the 3400 block of Dodge Park Road in Hyattsville. A man was found shot there and taken to the hospital. Police have not offered any more details about this investigation.
No arrests have been made in any of these shootings. Police are asking for the public's help as the investigations continue.
Corporal Unique Jones with Prince George's County Police said the weather may be partially to blame for the rise in violence.
"Unfortunately, with the weather getting warmer... nationwide there is always an up-rise in crime with the warmer weather. Unfortunately, Prince George's County is not immune to that," Jones said.
Anyone with information about any of these cases is asked to call Prince George's County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS.