Armed Teenager In Cape St. Claire Was Carrying Pellet Gun; Window Shattering On Police Vehicle Seen As 'Unrelated Circumstance,' Police Say
CAPE ST. CLAIRE, Md. (WJZ) -- An armed teenager whose presence in the woods near two local schools on Monday prompted officers to set up a perimeter around the area was carrying a pellet gun and will not be charged with any crime, Anne Arundel County police said Tuesday.
During a Monday morning walk, a woman encountered the boy, whom she described as being a 15- to 17-year-old white male in a brown and white camo-style jacket, and asked him what he was doing. He replied he was shooting small animals.
The woman returned home and called the police.
Officers, detectives and specialty units converged on the area, formed the perimeter and began a search, police said on Tuesday. A woman who lives near the Elementary school told WJZ on Monday "I started seeing individuals get out of vehicles in tactical gear I knew it wouldn't be a normal... morning."
One officer on the perimeter was sitting on the dashboard of his cruiser eating breakfast when he heard a "pop" and the back window of his vehicle shattered. "The vehicle was in park, and the officer did not see anyone when the window shattered," police said Wednseday.
In initial reports, police tweeted an armed suspect had fired at officers. Two schools in the area, Cape St. Claire Elementary School and Broadneck High School, were placed into a "lockout."
But investigators now believe the window shattered due to an "unrelated circumstance," police said Wednesday. The matter is still under investigation.
Detectives did locate the boy, who is 18 years old, and he admitted to speaking with the woman who called police. Investigators located the handgun and confirmed it is a pellet gun.
Anyone with any information is asked to call 410-222-6145 or the TipLine at 410-222-4700