Most Charges Dropped Against Man Initially Accused In Towson University Triple Shooting
TOWSON, Md. (WJZ) -- Most charges were dropped Friday against a 19-year-old man initially suspected in a shooting at Towson University last month.
The State's Attorney's Office dropped charges of attempted first-degree murder, first- and second-degree assault for Samuel Nnam, who was released while he awaits his next hearing.
Attorney Gary Bernstein, who represents Nnam, said his client is now considered a victim in the case, which stems from a shooting that unfolded on campus in the early morning hours of Sept. 4.
"All the shooting charges involving my client, Samuel Nnam, were dismissed today," Bernstein told WJZ.
About 2 a.m. Sept. 4, a fight broke out at an unsanctioned party at Freedom Square on the university's campus. At some point, gunshots rang out.
Police investigating the shooting found a female student suffering from a gunshot wound. Another student was also wounded. Neither of their injuries were deemed life-threatening.
Nnam, who was carried away from the scene, was found with a gunshot wound a short time later by a stairwell on campus.
"He was shot in the back, so it turns out he was one of the victims in this case," Bernstein said.
Investigators initially identified Nnam as the suspect, based on surveillance footage and evidence recovered from the scene.
The 19-year-old was arrested following his discharge from an area hospital and has been in police custody while awaiting court proceedings in the case.
"They knew he was shot. They thought it was self-inflicted," Bernstein said of investigators working the case.
Bernstein said when detectives took a closer look at surveillance video, it was evident there was no video showing his client fire a gun.
"He was in a physical dispute with another individual who had picked up money my client had dropped," he said. "But there's no indication on the video that he shot him."
Another consideration for the court was Nnam's clothing from the morning of the shooting. His clothes were initially missing, but his family later found them and handed them over to authorities.
It was through those factors that detectives found the evidence did not point to Nnam. Still unclear is who pulled the trigger in the Sept. 4 shooting.
Currently, Nnam only faces a charge of possession of a handgun.
"The detectives worked on (the case) tireless along with the State's Attorney's Office," Bernstein said. "My client could have sat in jail for another year waiting for trial if they hadn't bothered to follow it up."
Joe Herring, director of Towson University's Office of Public Safety and chief of the university police department said the agency continues to support Baltimore County's investigation into the shooting.
"No students or TU affiliates are suspects in this incident, and furthermore, we remain confident in the safety of our campus community," Herring said.
