PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. — Maryland State Police are investigating two shootings on the Capital Beltway Sunday in Prince George’s County.
MSP said the first shooting happened shortly before 1 a.m., Sunday, on northbound I-495 just north of Ritchie Marlboro Road. The driver of a tractor-trailer told troopers that the driver of a passenger car fired several shots at his truck striking it.
Investigators found three bullet holes in the tractor portion of the vehicle. Crime scene investigators searched a portion of the beltway near the truck and found one bullet casing near D'Arcy Road. They also recovered bullet fragments from the tractor.
The truck driver was not injured in the incident. He described the suspect's vehicle as a silver or gray Hyundai, Honda, or Kia passenger car, said police.
The second shooting happened around 3 p.m. Sunday and Maryland State Police are calling it an apparent act of road rage.
The victim told MSP troopers that he was traveling on the ramp from southbound I-495 to southbound Branch Avenue when the driver of the Honda Civic made an unsafe lane change, causing him to brake suddenly.
The victim said he changed lanes and was adjacent with the Honda when the driver displayed a handgun and fired three shots into the victim’s Mazda 6, according to MSP.
The victim was traveling with his wife in the front seat and his two teenage daughters who were in the rear passenger seats. No one in the victim's car was hit by the gunfire.
An examination of the victim’s vehicle by MSP found evidence indicating two of the shots struck the left rear passenger door and another struck the left rear passenger window.
The victim described the suspect as a man driving a silver Honda Civic with Maryland temporary registration. He also said a woman was also a front seat passenger in that vehicle, said MSP.
A lookout for the suspect’s vehicle has been issued to police in the region.
A Maryland State Police spokesperson said there is no connection between the two shootings at this time and both cases are still under investigation.
Anyone with information about either shooting is urged to contact Maryland State Police at the Forestville Barrack at 301-568-8101. Callers may remain anonymous.
