Nov 23, 2009 5:21 pm US/Eastern
Police Seek Possible Link In Catonsville Crimes
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
Several armed robberies, a murder in a convenience store and a carjacking involving a gun. Violence has been plaguing the Catonsville community and investigators are looking at links.
Weijia Jiang reports a suspect in the most recent incident is recovering at Shock Trauma.
The suspect was shot in the stomach during a police-involved shooting over the weekend. Now police are investigating whether he's responsible for other crimes.
In the most recent of a slew of violent attacks in Baltimore County, tracking down a suspect ended with an intense exchange of gunfire involving multiple agencies.
"Three Baltimore City officers and one Baltimore County officer were involved. A couple police cars were hit," said Anthony Guglielmi, Baltimore City police.
Police say the Saturday night shooting started when county detectives entered city lines to stake out a man wanted for carjacking and shooting a 27-year-old male driver the night before. Police pulled over the car he was riding in and the suspect fired several rounds at officers.
Authorities initially reported the suspect was also wanted for shooting two men inside the Yours convenience store nearby, injuring the 55-year-old owner and killing Brian Meise, 52,
"That is not correct. He is wanted at this point as a suspect in the shooting from Friday night and the attempted murders of several police officers," said Cpl. Mike Hill, Baltimore County police.
Still, police are conducting ballistics tests to see if the gun seized is the one that killed Meise.
"You're looking at where all these events take place. Detectives are going to look at incidents within Baltimore County and the city and jurisdictions," Hill said.
While police are looking at possible links between the carjacking and what happened at Yours convenience store, so far they have not pinned down a suspect for the armed robbery and murder that happened here.
"You gotta be behind bulletproof glass these days," said Judy Hodges.
Catonsville residents wonder how many more lives like Meise's are endangered.
"It was a jolt and I couldn't comprehend it. Still can't," said Meise's stepfather, Bill Bowen.
"It could have been us," said neighbor Kathy Boone.
Police are not releasing the name of the suspect recovering at Shock Trauma until charges are officially filed. Police expect that to happen by the end of the week.
The victim in the carjacking incident was treated and released with non-life threatening injuries.
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