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May 21, 2008 6:23 am US/Eastern
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Police Arrest Suspect In Columbia Murder
COLUMBIA, Md. (WJZ) ―
Days after a pair of shootings in Columbia, police make an arrest.
Mary Bubala reports residents are demanding action.
Police have arrested 21-year-old Ronald McConnell in a deadly shooting over the weekend.
This case appears to be the first step in an ongoing investigation that isn't ruling out possible gang activity as a potential motive.
Jason Batts, 23, was shot to death in the parking lot of the Stevens Forest Apartment complex with a shotgun.
Police were led to McConnell after finding fingerprints on the murder weapon and with the help of witnesses.
"One of our patrol officers saw him walking in front of a home that belongs to one of his relatives so he was stopped and the arrest was made," said Sherry Llewellyn, Howard County Police spokesperson.
While police are investigating this homicide, they are not ruling out any motives including possible gang activity.
More than 150 residents talked to police at a community meeting about changes in their neighborhoods.
"I think we have a peaceful community but we would be naive if we thought there were no drugs and no gang activity because of course there are," said one resident.
The Batts case is the second shooting in Columbia this weekend. Police are looking into whether the two are connected.
McConnell faces first and second-degree murder charges along with assault and reckless endangerment.
This is Howard County's second murder this year.
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