LANDOVER, MD. PG Police reports that three Prince George’s County brothers are in custody in connection with the ambush of our District III station that led to the fatal shooting of Police Officer First Class Jacai Colson on Sunday.
The brothers are 21-year-old Malik Ford of the 9200 block of Allentown Road in Fort Washington and 18-year-old Elijah Ford of the 1800 block of Ryderwood Court in Landover. The third brother, the shooter, is 22-year-old Michael DeAndre Ford, also of the same address on Ryderwood Court. He remains hospitalized with what are considered non-life threatening injuries. All three suspects will be charged with second degree murder, six counts of attempted first degree murder, nine counts of use of a handgun in the commission of a felony and additional charges.
Preliminarily, detectives with our Criminal Investigation Division believe the gunman intended to die at the hand of a police officer on Sunday. We have cell phone video which captured the gunman dictating his last will and testament. That video was recorded just minutes before his two brothers drove him to our District III station.
There he opened fire at responding officers, at our building, at a passing ambulance and these two pictured vehicles. As the investigation progresses, additional charges will be brought against the three brothers regarding the victims in the vehicles. This violence was all captured on cell phone and surveillance video which is evidence in our case.
POFC Colson, a four-year veteran assigned to our Narcotic Enforcement Division, was on his way to the police station to meet an officer. He arrived right after Michael Ford began his shooting spree. POFC Colson left his unmarked cruiser and began exchanging gunfire with the shooter. A total of four officers discharged their duty weapons while trying to stop the shooter. Two additional officers also responded, but did not fire their weapons.
The involved officers are:
PO Bryan Melius, Regional Investigation Division
Cpl Jason Wells, Bureau of Patrol, District III
POFC Taylor Krauss, Bureau of Patrol, District III
Cpl John Wynkoop, Bureau of Patrol, District III
PO Matthew Scott, Bureau of Patrol, District III
POFC Jacai Colson, Narcotic Enforcement Division
An autopsy today revealed that POFC Colson was inadvertently shot by a fellow responding officer during the gun battle.
Following the ambush, Malik and Elijah Ford fled the scene. The driver, Malik, turned himself in to police at a nearby fast food restaurant shortly after the shooting spree. Elijah was taken into custody at his home in Landover shortly after his brother.
Funeral arrangements for POFC Colson’s line of duty death will be shared with our community when finalized. He is survived by his parents, James and Sheila Colson, and a younger brother, Jurea. He grew up in Boothwyn, Pennsylvania.
COPS: KILL
There he opened fire at responding officers, at our building, at a passing ambulance and these two pictured vehicles. As the investigation progresses, additional charges will be brought against the three brothers regarding the victims in the vehicles. This violence was all captured on cell phone and surveillance video which is evidence in our case.
POFC Colson, a four-year veteran assigned to our Narcotic Enforcement Division, was on his way to the police station to meet an officer. He arrived right after Michael Ford began his shooting spree. POFC Colson left his unmarked cruiser and began exchanging gunfire with the shooter. A total of four officers discharged their duty weapons while trying to stop the shooter. Two additional officers also responded, but did not fire their weapons.
The involved officers are:
PO Bryan Melius, Regional Investigation Division
Cpl Jason Wells, Bureau of Patrol, District III
POFC Taylor Krauss, Bureau of Patrol, District III
Cpl John Wynkoop, Bureau of Patrol, District III
PO Matthew Scott, Bureau of Patrol, District III
POFC Jacai Colson, Narcotic Enforcement Division
An autopsy today revealed that POFC Colson was inadvertently shot by a fellow responding officer during the gun battle.
Following the ambush, Malik and Elijah Ford fled the scene. The driver, Malik, turned himself in to police at a nearby fast food restaurant shortly after the shooting spree. Elijah was taken into custody at his home in Landover shortly after his brother.
Funeral arrangements for POFC Colson’s line of duty death will be shared with our community when finalized. He is survived by his parents, James and Sheila Colson, and a younger brother, Jurea. He grew up in Boothwyn, Pennsylvania.
ERS LAUNCHED ATTACK ON POLICE STATION; OFFICERS RETURNED FIRE
PG Chief at the press conference: “Our officers were going about their business and were attacked. Fallen officer was 4 yr veteran.”
Police say suspects launched an attack on the police station in 7600 block of Barlowe Road.
The officers were forced to engage.
Two suspects are in custody. One suspect is wounded suffering non-life threatening injuries in Prince George’s Hospital Center. The other suspect is being interrogated by police.
PG Chief: Thank you for your support, Governor Hogan.
Governor Larry Hogan Statement on Prince George’s County Police Officer
Governor Orders Flags to Fly at Half-Staff
ANNAPOLIS, MD – Governor Larry Hogan today issued the following statement in response to the violence that resulted in the death of Prince George’s County police officer Jacai Colson:
“I am shocked and saddened by the news this evening of the death of Prince George’s County police officer Jacai Colson in the line of duty. Our administration is committed to assisting Prince George’s County officials during this time, and the Maryland State Police are working closely with local law enforcement to provide support as needed.
Chief: One of your defenders lost his life in defense of this community today. This was an unprovoked attack.
PG POLICE OFFICER JACAI COLSON DEAD AFTER BEING AMBUSHED OUTSIDE STATION
From Prince Georges County Police UPDATE – The shelter in place has been lifted. Citizens in the Palmer Park/Landover area are able to move freely now.
PRINCE GEORGES POLICE HEADQUARTERS, DISTRICT III STATION. — LANDOVER, MD. –
Outcome for downed Officer: Died at hospital
PALMER PARK, Md. (ABC7) — Two suspects have been taken into custody after a police officer was critically injured in a shooting at the District III station next to PGPD Headquarters at 7600 Barlowe Rd, Hyattsville, Md. around 5 p.m. Sunday, according to Prince George’s County Police Department.
ABC7’s Brad Bell had been told by officials that the officer’s condition was not looking good. Now Police have announced the officer has died.
Sources told ABC7’s Brad Bell that three others were shot, in addition to the PGPD officer,.
Police say the suspect surrendered to police at a Popeyes on Dodge Park and Landover Rd.
Largo Road (Route-202) is shut down from the Beltway to Martin Luther King Jr. Highway (Md 704), according to police.
Police previously warned there was a possible active shooter(s). Police now believe they have all suspects in custody.
From The Washington Post:
Simone Alfone said she has never had an afternoon like the one she experienced Sunday during the 44 years she has lived in a house overlooking the police station. She was resting with her husband when, she said, she heard 12 to 15 shots.
“There was a pause,” Alfone said. “Then there were a few more.” …MORE
From NBC 4
A police officer was shot and killed Sunday afternoon outside Prince George’s Co. police headquarters in the Palmer Park area of Landover, Maryland.
Two suspects are in custody, Prince George’s County Police said. News4’s Darcy Spencer and Mark Segraves report both of the suspects were arrested at a Popeyes fast-food restaurant nearby.
Police do not believe there are any more suspects.
The officer has been transported to Prince George’s Hospital Center where he died.
A second person was shot and taken to the hospital, but their condition is not known at this time, according to Prince George’s County Fire and Rescue.
The shooting happened shortly before 5 p.m. at a community center outside the District 3 police station, which is next to Prince George’s County police headquarters on Barlowe Road, police said.
Several roads have been closed in the area to allow for police response and investigation.
Police had called this an “active shooter” situation earlier in the evening and had encouraged residents to shelter in place and avoid the area.
Two weeks ago in Prince William County in Virginia, 28-year-old Officer Ashley Guindon was shot and killed on her first day on the job. Two other officers were also shot. They were responding to a domestic dispute at a home in Woodbridge, Va.
