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Arrest made in stabbing death of Lakeforest Mall employee

The 23-year-old was working at the mall’s T-Mobile store when 25-year-old Trenton Flowers-Jackson walked in and allegedly began stabbing him, police said.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — A 25-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly stabbing a 23-year-old Lakeforest Mall employee to death one week ago, just as the shopping center opened.

On Monday, Feb. 21 Gaithersburg City and Montgomery County Police officers responded to 701 Russell Avenue for a report of a stabbing. Once at the mall, officers found 23-year-old Jose Maldonado suffering from multiple stab wounds. He was taken to the hospital where he later died. 

A police investigation revealed that Maldonado was working at the mall’s T-Mobile store when the suspect, 25-year-old Trenton Flowers-Jackson, allegedly walked in and immediately began stabbing him.

Maldonado tried to escape, police said, but ultimately collapsed near the food court in the mall. 

Through the course of the investigation, detectives said that they were able to identify and connect Flowers-Jackson to the homicide. Police also said Maldonado and Flowers- Jackson knew each other. 

Flowers-Jackson was arrested in Rockville on Saturday, Feb. 26 and has been charged with first-degree murder. He is currently being held at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit, where he awaits a bond hearing, scheduled for Monday afternoon.

Maldonado is the second person to be killed at the mall in the last four months.

In November, a man was shot dead, also at Lakeforest Mall. Police were called to the scene just after 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 10, 2021. The man killed was identified as  29-year-old Terrance Donte Dimes of Gaithersburg. 

RELATED: Police: Employee stabbed to death in food court at Lakeforest Mall

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