Bhagavan “Doc” Antle was accused of illegally buying endangered lion cubs in Frederick County, Virginia, for display and profit at his South Carolina zoo, Attorney General Jason Miyares said in a news release. A jury convicted Antle on Friday of two felony counts each of wildlife trafficking and conspiring to wildlife traffic.

Antle, who owns the Myrtle Beach Safari, appeared in “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness,” a Netflix documentary miniseries that focused on tiger breeders.

The jury acquitted Antle of five counts of animal cruelty and Judge Alexander Iden dismissed four additional animal cruelty charges against Antle and all charges against his two adult daughters, The Winchester Star reported.

Prosecutor Michelle Welch said Myrtle Beach Safari’s lucrative petting zoo motivated Antle to maintain a steady supply of immature lion cubs that he purchased from Wilson’s Wild Animal Park near Winchester, calling the arrangement a “cub pipeline” from Virginia to South Carolina.

When Antle and Keith Wilson, the park’s former owner, began doing business in 2015, it was still legal to buy and sell lions, Welch said. But after lions were designated as an endangered species in December 2015, lions could only be traded between zoos and wildlife preserves that were part of an established breeding program and had permits. There were three illegal cub exchanges in 2017, 2018 and 2019, Welch said.

Antle was indicted in 2020 on several offenses including felony counts of wildlife trafficking and conspiracy. In August 2019, 119 animals — including lions, tigers, bears, camels, goats and water buffalo — were seized from Wilson’s roadside zoo after a judge found that Wilson “cruelly treated, neglected, or deprived” the animals of adequate care.

Wilson testified that Antle paid him in advance under the guise of a donation. He said Antle paid $2,500 to $3,000 per cub with the exception of the 2017 transaction when Antle traded three lynx kittens for three lion cubs.

Wilson is charged with nine misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and 10 felony counts of selling an endangered species and a hearing in his case is scheduled for Friday.

Defense attorney Erin Harrigan called Antle’s prosecution politically motivated in response to a growing public outcry against wild animals being exploited for entertainment purposes.

“This has been an agenda in search of a crime from the beginning of the investigation,” Harrigan said.

Harrigan maintained that the cubs were gifts and Antle sent Wilson donations for an expanded tiger habitat.

“These were not sales,” Harrigan said.

Iden allowed Antle, who faces up to 20 years in prison, to remain free on bond pending sentencing on Sept. 14.

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Jenkins was indicted in April for allegedly helping Robert Krop get machine guns and conspiring with him to rent the weapons to private citizens. Jenkins pleaded not guilty to five counts of conspiracy and making false statements.

The indictment alleges Krop wrote five letters between 2015 and 2023 for Jenkins to sign requesting machine gun demonstrations for potential future purchase by the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office.

The motion filed this week details how undercover federal investigators tried to prove Krop had illegal machine guns at his Frederick business The Machine Gun Nest. It shows Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigators rented six machine guns in February 2022. They confirmed at least two of the machine guns were obtained through the letters Jenkins signed.

Jenkins claims he signed the letters to help Krop’s small business.

Last month, Jenkins’ attorneys filed a motion asking the court to dismiss the charges and separate the two trials. Prosecutors have asked the court to deny those requests.

A 2022 Dodge Charger was driving at a high speed when it left the road and plummeted into the quarry on Lehigh Road and Peter Shriner Road, in rural Libertytown before 8:30 a.m., according to a release from the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office.

A male and a woman inside the car died at the scene. Crews later found a female passenger who had been ejected from the car and killed in the crash.

The victims’ have been identified as Kortney Angleberger, 28, of Keymar, Maryland, Robert Grossnickle, 65, of Woodsboro, Maryland and Rachel Willis, 23, of Dickerson, Maryland.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to these families impacted by these lives lost,” the Sheriff’s Office tweeted.

The car crashed into the Union Bridge Quarry owned by Heidelberg Material, according to deputies.

Crews remained at the scene for hours following the crash. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

This is a developing story. Stay with News4 for more updates.

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A two-story single-family home located in the 600 block of East H Street caught fire at about 3:20 a.m., the flames spreading to neighboring homes, according to Frederick County Fire and Rescue.

Firefighters safely evacuated occupants from the homes. No injuries were reported.

The fire was extinguished by about 5:30 a.m. Fire crews remain at the scene.

Five adults, three kids and multiple pets are displaced. They are being assisted by the Red Cross.

“Especially something that happens at such an early hour, at 3 a.m. people are sleeping and stuff like that,” Frederick County Fire Spokesperson Sarah Campbell said. “Residents here moved quickly. As first homes started to evacuate, they went to other additional homes and started to evacuate, because you don’t know how far that’s going to spread, how fast that’s going to travel.”

Two homes are severely damaged, and two have minor damage, authorities said. One of the homes is charred, and its roof is gone.

This is a developing story. Stay with News4 for more updates.

The 59-year-old Bowles walked across the stage at Mount St. Mary’s University on Saturday to receive his diploma after earning a Bachelor of Science degree in youth and community development.

Bowles missed the second day of the Buccaneers’ rookie camp to attend the ceremony, knowing his mother Joan would be proud of him for completing his degree 37 years after he left Temple to begin his playing career in the NFL.

“My mother never said anything, she just went with it and she let me go ahead and live my life,” Bowles said while he addressed the graduating class. “She passed in 2009 and the only thing she asked me was to make sure I got my degree.”

“I stuck with it and here I am at 59. You’re never too old to stop learning. You stop learning and you get old. You get old when you stop learning. So I say to you, Class of 2023 — the future is yours, take it, grab it, run with it, be excited — be excited — every now and then come back and thank your parents.”

Bowles, entering his second season as coach of the Buccaneers, was born and raised in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and played college football at Temple under coach Bruce Arians. The defensive back signed with Washington as an undrafted free agent in 1986 and played eight seasons in the NFL — winning a Super Bowl in 1988.

Bowles turned to coaching after his playing career ended, serving in a variety of assistant roles with several NFL teams before becoming the Miami Dolphins’ interim head coach in 2011. He reunited with Arians, who was the Arizona Cardinals’ head coach, in 2013 as the defensive coordinator before getting his first full-time gig as a head coach with the New York Jets in 2015.

After four seasons with New York, he joined Arians’ staff in Tampa Bay — again as the defensive coordinator — before taking over as the Buccaneers’ head coach last year when Arians retired.

“This is an amazing, amazing thing for me to be in a class with you,” Bowles said while speaking to the graduating class. “I’m more nervous now than I ever was speaking in front of a locker room at halftime.”

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Frederick County Sheriff Charles Jenkins appeared in U.S. District Court on Wednesday and pleaded not guilty to five federal counts of conspiracy and making false statements. A judge ordered Jenkins to surrender all firearms, including his service weapon.

Later Wednesday, Jenkins said he would step away from his role as sheriff during the judicial process.

“Out of respect for the men and women of this agency and not to interfere with the effective operations, I am going to take a leave of absence, effective end of business, Friday, April 14, through the end of this judicial process,” Jenkins said in a statement. “I have full confidence in the system, and I know that my innocence will prevail at the end of all of this and that I will be found not guilty.”

Chief Deputy Col. David Benjamin will step in for Jenkins while he’s on leave, the sheriff’s office said.

Jenkins is accused of conspiring with the owner of a gun range to illegally obtain machine guns to rent out, and charged with falsifying documents and requesting machine guns for demonstration in his office, where no demonstrations took place, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.

Instead, according to the indictment, Jenkins conspired to get those guns to Robert Krop, who rented them to private citizens for money.

Krop owns a gun range in Frederick. The indictment alleges his business made more than $100,000 in just two years from renting out the machine guns.

Despite the indictment, Jenkins had said last week he would continue on as sheriff.

Some county officials and residents, however, called on Jenkins to step away until the investigation is resolved.

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Some Frederick County residents told News4 they’re disturbed by the allegations.

“I don’t know what this world is coming to,” said resident Yvonne Fink. “I just don’t know what’s going on.”

“I mean, if he’s doing something that’s wrong, then he will have to answer for it,” said Bill Fink, another resident.

Others who live in Frederick say they aren’t rushing to judgement.

“I guess it sounds bad, but I don’t know, I guess I’m waiting to see how it turns out,” said resident Tommy Kline.

“You’re innocent until proven guilty,” said Jeff Windsor, another resident of the county. “I like Jenkins, I would vote for him again. I voted for him last time, he’s been a good sheriff.”

In a statement sent by a spokesperson, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore expressed support for the investigation.

“Sheriff Jenkins is facing serious criminal charges that are worthy of investigation and we expect that law enforcement officials will be thorough and fair, working in accordance with due process,” the statement read.

“No one is above the law; we expect high standards from all public officials and trust that our institutions will work to both protect the rights of the accused and defend the interests of the citizens of Frederick County.”

It’s not the first time in recent weeks a member of the Frederick County sheriff’s office has faced criminal charges.

At the end of March, deputy Allan Mandujano was charged with second degree child abuse and assault, involving a 5-year-old child. He was suspended without pay.

A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office gave a statement on Jenkins’ behalf last week:

“I have been in constant communication with the DOJ and ATF for over a year and have been 100 percent cooperative throughout the course of this investigation. At the advice of my attorney and out of respect for the justice process, I am not providing any comment at this time.”

Frederick County Council Vice President Kavonte Duckett called for Jenkins to place himself on leave Thursday evening.

“I unequivocally condemn the action of any elected official which are inconsistent with integrity, trust, and good community service,” the statement reads.

“Trust in public officials and law enforcement is the foundation upon which our community safety is built. We have worked hard here in Frederick County to build and improve that trust with the families we serve. Incidents like this can erode that hard and meaningful work.”

“While the Council plays no role in the operation of the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office beyond providing state mandatedfunding to the division, it is important that we hold all duly elected officials accountable. Any inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated in Frederick County regardless of elected office.”

“I urge Sheriff Chuck Jenkins to place himself on an administrative leave of absence until this matter is resolved as he would require any deputy pending charges under his command.”

If convicted on the charges, Jenkins and Krop could face up to 5 years in federal prison for conspiracy and false statements.

Krop could also face an additional 10 years in prison for illegal possession of a machine gun. He is due in court on Thursday.

Frederick County Sheriff Charles Jenkins has been in office since 2006, and vowed on Thursday to stay in office despite the indictment.

He is accused of conspiring with the owner of a gun range to illegally obtain machine guns to rent out, and charged with falsifying documents and requesting machine guns for demonstration in his office — where no demonstrations took place, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.

Instead, according to the indictment, Sheriff Jenkins conspired to get those guns to Robert Krop, who rented them to private citizens for money.

Krop owns Machine Gun Nest, a gun range in Frederick. The indictment alleges his business made more than $100,000 in just two years from renting out the machine guns.

On Thursday, the Frederick County sheriff’s office released a list of weapons they issue and/or maintain.

The Law Enforcement Bureau uses the following list of weapons:

• 9mm semi-auto pistol
• 308 Winchester Bold action precision rifle
• 5.56 mm AR-15 Rifle select fire (full auto)
• 5.56 mm AR-15 Rifle semi-auto
• Remington 870 12-gauge shotgun designated for Less Lethal impact munitions
• Remington 870 12-gauge designated lethal foce use
• 38 special Revolver

While the Corrections Bureau uses the following list of weapons:

• 9mm semi-auto pistol
• Remington 870 12-gauge shotgun
• Remington 870 12-gauge Less Lethal Shotgun

Of all the guns on that list, only one can be considered a machine gun — the fully automatic 5.56 mm AR-15 Rifle select fire.

However, that machine gun is different than the types of machine guns listed in the indictment.

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Some Frederick county residents tell News4 they’re disturbed by the allegations.

“I don’t know what this world is coming to,” said resident Yvonne Fink. “I just don’t know what’s going on.”

“I mean, if he’s doing something that’s wrong, then he will have to answer for it,” said Bill Fink, another resident.

Others who live in Frederick say they aren’t rushing to judgement.

“I guess it sounds bad, but I don’t know, I guess I’m waiting to see how it turns out,” said resident Tommy Kline.

“You’re innocent until proven guilty,” said Jeff Windsor, another resident of the county. “I like Jenkins, I would vote for him again. I voted for him last time, he’s been a good sheriff.”

In a statement sent by a spokesperson, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore expressed support for the investigation.

“Sheriff Jenkins is facing serious criminal charges that are worthy of investigation and we expect that law enforcement officials will be thorough and fair, working in accordance with due process,” the statement read.

“No one is above the law; we expect high standards from all public officials and trust that our institutions will work to both protect the rights of the accused and defend the interests of the citizens of Frederick County.”

It’s not the first time in recent weeks a member of the Frederick County sheriff’s office has faced criminal charges.

At the end of March, deputy Allan Mandujano was charged with second degree child abuse and assault, involving a 5-year-old child. He was suspended without pay.

News4 tried to reach Jenkins to ask him why the deputy was suspended while the sheriff is staying in office — and did not hear back.

On Wednesday, his spokesman gave a statement on his behalf:

“I have been in constant communication with the DOJ and ATF for over a year and have been 100 percent cooperative throughout the course of this investigation. At the advice of my attorney and out of respect for the justice process, I am not providing any comment at this time.”

Frederick County Council Vice President Kavonte Duckett called for Jenkins to place himself on leave Thursday evening.

“I unequivocally condemn the action of any elected official which are inconsistent with integrity, trust, and good community service,” the statement reads.

“Trust in public officials and law enforcement is the foundation upon which our community safety is built. We have worked hard here in Frederick County to build and improve that trust with the families we serve. Incidents like this can erode that hard and meaningful work.”

“While the Council plays no role in the operation of the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office beyond providing state mandatedfunding to the division, it is important that we hold all duly elected officials accountable. Any inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated in Frederick County regardless of elected office.”

“I urge Sheriff Chuck Jenkins to place himself on an administrative leave of absence until this matter is resolved as he would require any deputy pending charges under his command.”

If convicted on the charges, Jenkins and Krop could face up to 5 years in federal prison for conspiracy and false statements.

Krop could also face an additional 10 years in prison for illegal possession of a machine gun.

Jenkins is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court next Wednesday, with Krop appearing on Thursday.

A federal grand jury charged Sheriff Charles Austin Jenkins, 66, with conspiracy and making false statements.

The indictment alleges that Jenkins conspired with 36-year-old Robert Justin Krop, a gun business owner, to illegally purchase machine guns from August 2015 to May 2022.

Prosecutors said Jenkins falsified multiple documents on Frederick County Sheriff’s Office letterhead requesting machine guns for training sheriff’s deputies. Krop helped him draft the letters, according to prosecutors.

But prosecutors say the guns were never used for training deputies. Instead, Krop rented the guns to customers at the firing range he owns and operates, the attorney’s office said.

A spokesperson for the sheriff’s office read a statement from Jenkins during a news conference Wednesday.

“I have been in constant communication with the DOJ and the ATF for over a year and have been 100 percent cooperative throughout the course of this investigation. At the advice of my attorney, and out of respect for the justice process, I am not providing any comment at this time. I will continue to serve as your sheriff as this process plays out,” spokesperson Todd Wivell said.

The indictment also accuses Krop of illegally possessing seven machine guns, and further alleges that Krop’s business offered political support to Jenkins in recognition of his support for the business.

News4 has reached out to Krop multiple times for comment, but he has not yet responded.

In a recent Facebook post, Krop said he was being investigated by federal agencies.

“The past year, three-letter organizations have started their fight right here in Frederick, Maryland, asking us for your records, any and all info on your purchases. We lawyered up. We refused,” Krop said in a video on his business’ Facebook page.

If convicted, both men would face five years in prison on conspiracy charges. Krop would face an additional 10 years if found guilty of the illegal possession charges.

Jenkins has been the county’s sheriff since his election in 2006 and was most recently re-elected in 2022.

The child, known affectionately as Monkey, and his family, from Fauquier County, Virginia, were visiting his grandmother in Brunswick for her birthday party, Chief of Brunswick Police Kevin Grunwell said.

The boy had played with the dog, a pit bill and mastiff mix, all day, Grunwell said.

When the family was saying goodbye, the dog attacked the child inside the home, according to Grunwell.

“They got along very well,” said his great aunt Tammy Crawford. “We don’t know what triggered the dog. We didn’t think something like this would ever happen.”

Brunswick police and Frederick County fire and rescue were called to the 400 block of West B Street about 5:15 p.m., the Brunswick officials said.

The boy had life-threatening dog bite injuries and went into cardiac arrest. He was flown to the hospital but pronounced dead shortly after he arrived, officials said.

“He was very lovable; he’s very shy,” Crawford said. “He loved his mother very much. He was always with her.”

His grandmother, Kim Russell, says being in the house is traumatizing.

“I just have flashbacks, real bad flashbacks on him, and everything,” she said. “I mean, I can’t even go in my bedroom to get anything.”

“He was my pride and joy,” she said. “He knew that his maw maw loved to collect sloths. If we were in the store, he would point them out to me. He would come back, ‘ Maw maw, look.’ He was just an angel.”

Police and Frederick County animal control have launched an investigation. Animal control is assessing the dog’s behavior and deciding what to do with it.

Stay with News4 for more on this developing story.

Police shot 44-year-old Joseph Sherrill inside an apartment on North East Street. The Maryland Attorney General’s Office says he was wanted for violating probation.

A neighbor tipped off police that Sherill was in the apartment.

Police initially talked to Sherill’s ex-wife at the door. She hesitated letting police search the apartment until they threatened to arrest her for lying.

Officers eventually found Sherrill hiding inside a closet with a knife. Officers repeatedly told him to drop the weapon.

Police retreated to the living room when Sherrill said, “You’re going to have to shoot me first.”

Eventually, the body camera video shows Sherill go into the living room with the knife, which is when police shot him.

The incident remains under investigation by the state attorney general.

Residents met with state and local officials at a town hall meeting in the auditorium of Frederick High School on Tuesday. 

The meeting began with a moment of silence for the driver killed in the crash on March 4. The tanker, filled with what one panelist described as gasoline, ruptured and exploded after the driver hit a tree on a portion of Route 15 that comes very close–too close, many believe–to homes.

“It was the scariest thing I’ve ever seen,” one member of the community said. “We’ve seen that it’s not safe. So starting at [Route] 26, slow down that traffic to 40 mph… and make everybody go slower.”

Clean-up of the flammable fuel that spilled into storm drains is underway.

Andrew Radcliffe of the Maryland Department of Transportation announced that a short term safety improvement at the crash site will be put in place this weekend.

“What we did come up with recently and we’re going to move to install as early as Sunday night is a traffic barrier or guardrail,” Radcliffe said.  

He added that longer term safety improvements will now be fast-tracked. 

“[With] federal funds we were able to fund the U.S. 15 widening project. That will add a third lane in each direction of U.S. 15,” Radcliffe said. “And what that will also do is look at the… feasibility of noise barriers along 15 throughout all these communities that are close to the road.”

Lee Redmond, who lives on Schley Avenue near where the truck exploded, said she believes it’s vital for safety improvements to address both sides of Route 15.

“I want them to know that it’s not just the northbound side of 15 that has a problem, it’s also southbound,” she said. 

Residents praised emergency response crews, but several asked that communication be improved in the future.

Authorities found several people at the store in the Frederick Crossing shopping center in the 7300 block of Guilford Drive overcome by a chemical irritant. 

Medics were called to the scene, as were hazmat units from the Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services. The Sheriff’s office is investigating.

More information about potential injuries or why the person responsible would pepper spray the area after the robbery was not immediately provided.

Police were trying to find a man wanted on a parole violation at an apartment complex in the 1500 block of N East Street at around 6:20 p.m., Frederick City Police Chief Jason Lando said at a press conference. 

Officers on the scene were let into a residence, where they found the man in a closet. He pulled out a knife, Lando said. 

Frederick City Police said they gave multiple commands to drop the knife. When the man did not, they fired multiple times. 

Officers performed CPR, but the man, whose name has not been released, died at the scene, Lando said. 

The police chief added that per protocol, police notified the Attorney General’s office and their Independent Investigations Division (IID), who will be taking over the investigation of the fatal shooting along with Maryland State Police. 

This is a developing story. Refresh for updates.

U.S. Route 15 was closed for hours as firefighters battled the flames and a large brush fire and a hazmat team worked to contain a hazardous spill. Route 15 was back open by Sunday morning.

Frederick County Fire Chief Tom Coe said at a press conference that multiple calls came in for a house fire and vehicle explosion at the 500 block of Schley Avenue, near Rosemont Avenue, around noon.

The tanker truck crashed and overturned while carrying a flammable liquid and became completely engulfed in flames, Coe said. The explosion sent flames and heavy smoke into the surrounding area.

The name of the driver killed was not immediately released.

Several homes and three cars on Apple Avenue caught fire as a result. There was also a large brush fire along the U.S. Route 15 corridor, authorities said.

One of those homes was extensively damaged, and its residents are displaced.

Resident Mariano Hernandez said his home was destroyed. He heard the explosion, went outside and realized the flames had already spread over the side walls of his home.

“At that moment, I just thought about my children who were inside,” Hernandez said in Spanish. “I’m thankful to my neighbors behind me, who came to help and check if everyone was ok. They helped me get the children out.”

Video shows the home’s roof partially melted and the grass scorched.

Hernandez said the Red Cross came to help and offered them three nights at a hotel.

Two other houses received only minor damage, officials said. Officials initially said as many as six homes were damaged.

Three vehicles also caught fire, officials said. News4 video shows a trio of charred, apparently destroyed vehicles being taken away from the scene on flatbed trucks.

Nearby residents captured photos and videos of the tanker exploding and shared them on social media. Footage showed what appeared to be a fireball and a large plume of smoke shooting into the air.

Firefighters had the flames under control within 40 minutes, and the blaze was completely extinguished by the time the press conference began around 3:15 p.m.

No firefighters or people in the homes were injured, authorities said. The driver of the tanker was the only death.

The Montgomery County Fire Department was at the scene assisting Frederick County fire personnel.

In a statement, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said:

“My heart goes out to those affected by this tragedy in Frederick. I am in touch with County Executive Fitzwater, Mayor O’Connor, and the City of Frederick. The Maryland Department of the Environment, State Police, Office of the State Fire Marshal, and the Maryland Department of Transportation are on the scene of this tragic accident. We are continuing to monitor the situation closely.”

The northbound lanes of U.S. Route 15 were closed between Route 50 and 7th Street for hours. The southbound lanes reopened just after 3 p.m.

The road cuts through the heart of Frederick, and residents are now concerned for their safety.

“If it wasn’t for the tree that the truck hit, it would have been in somebody’s house,” one woman told News4. “There’s not even a guardrail here.”

There is no risk to the public at this time, now that the fire is out. The hazardous materials were contained before they reached Carroll Creek, Coe said.

Fire authorities said residue from the foam used to put out the flames is still in nearby Carroll Creek, but the foam used was environmentally friendly and did not contain any PFAS material.

Despite heavy winds in the area on Saturday, the wind did not complicate putting out the fire — the only complication, according to Coe, was the amount of flammable liquid in the truck.

The investigation continues as a crash investigation.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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The animals were located at the 8300 block of Water Street Road in Walkersville, according to a Frederick County Sheriff’s Office release.

Deputies and Frederick County Division of Animal Control (FCDAC) officers found five alive and starving Mastiff-type dogs in the backyard of the property. The dogs were held in a fenced-in kennel with two pens. Three dogs were in one pen, and two alive dogs and one dead dog were in the other, deputies said.

FCDAC officers found the bodies of two more dogs in trash bags outside of the kennels, the release said.

While on the property authorities said they saw the hungry dogs eat feces.

The five alive dogs, along with the three dead were removed from the property and taken to FCDAC’s center.

One dog, which struggled to move, was transported to an Emergency Animal Hospital. The dog was released on Sunday morning.

“The investigation into the welfare of the dogs is active and ongoing,” FCDAC director David Luckenbaugh said in the release. “The five dogs currently at the Animal Control Center are doing well and receiving individualized care.”

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Xavier Kimel Mason, 23, and Jamari Elijah Smith, 19, both from Annapolis, are facing drug-related charges, according to the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office. The juvenile’s charges were not immediately released.

The chase happened at about 3:20 p.m. when deputies recognized the suspects walking on Eaglehead Drive. Deputies gave commands for them to stop, but the suspects fled instead, causing deputies to run after them.

Mason was quickly detained, deputies said. Another suspect was found in a wooded area between Yeagertown Road and Jordan Boulevard.

The third suspect was found hiding in a container in the backyard in the 5700 block of Meyer Avenue by the Maryland State Police.

The Sheriff’s Office said they seized approximately 150 capsules of illegal drugs.

The two adult suspects were taken to the Frederick County Adult Detention Center.

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But in Frederick County, Virginia, it’s also where the ashes of more than a dozen people are kept. The cremains have gone unclaimed after their deaths, some of them for more than a decade.

It’s something that’s always troubled Sheriff Lenny Millholland.

“They were at one point a human being, somebody that was loved at some point in time in their life and I have them sitting in a property room, and I don’t like it,” Millholland said.

For years, he’s made attempts to track down relatives and friends of the unclaimed.

Each Christmas or Thanksgiving Millholland calls in a pastor to say a blessing.

This Christmas, Pastor Brandan Thomas, who also heads the local homeless shelter, said the blessing. The boxes holding the cremains were decorated for the occasion with Christmas bows.

“My goal in the moment was to bring dignity to these individuals,” Thomas said. “Knowing these individuals have passed away, if nothing else, their name was said out loud, and, again, it was a honor just to get to be part of that moment.”

As Thomas read the names, he was surprised to see that he’d known three of the people through his work with the local mission.

A writer with The Winchester Star was also at the Christmas blessing, and published the names associated with the unclaimed ashes.

Within days, Thomas got a call: The former mission director made arrangements with her church to inter three sets of remains in nearby Old Salem Cemetery.

“These were individuals who mattered. They had names, they had faces, they had dreams, accomplishments and to know there is a place one could go to remember their name, to remember the place they held on this earth, I think there is a lot of importance in that,” Thomas said.

The article from the Winchester Star also helped a woman in California learn what had happened to her uncle, Antonio Bucolay.

Bucolay had faithfully phoned her each holiday and texted to keep in touch. But when the calls stopped this Christmas, she searched online and found the article about the cremains.

“He is a Korean War veteran, a purple heart recipient and I had him sitting in a evidence room, but now I have found the family so we’ll be able to reunite them,” Millholland said.

The sheriff has arranged for Bucolay, with his niece’s blessing, to be buried in Culpeper National Cemetery.

A few years ago, the sheriff even delivered a loved one to a family he tracked down in Virginia Beach.

“It gives you a warm feeling and it puts tears in their eyes when they get them. I feel at the end of the day that I’ve done my job,” he said.

As of Monday, two more families were connected with the remains of their loved ones. There are still 16 people who haven’t been claimed.

Below are their names and the known dates they died:

• Richard Allen
• Linda Anderson
• Jimmy Brown, Jan. 31, 2013
• Melvin Cox, July 29, 2011
• Linda Coxon, Aug. 10, 2018
• Earl Gwynn, April 22, 2020
• Richard Highland, Feb. 21, 2020
• Dorothy Jackson, Oct. 6, 2019
• Dale Lewis, March 1, 2020
• Barron Long
• Daniel Berkeley Merchant, Sept. 7, 2022
• Fay Taylor, Nov. 9, 2013
• John Wahanquist
• Bryant White
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The crash happened at about 3:30 a.m. on Southbound I-270 near the Urbana Exit, Frederick County Fire and Rescue said.

Photos from firefighters show a mangled car in pieces laying in the grass by the road.

A man was taken to the hospital. It was not immediately clear how severe his injuries were.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

This is a developing story. Stay with News4 for updates.

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The slain firefighters were identified as members of the New Tripoli Fire Company, Assistant Fire Chief Zachary Paris, 36, and Marvin Gruber, 59, Pennsylvania State Police Trooper David Beohm said. Officials say they became trapped inside the home. Firefighters pulled them out, but both later died.

The body of another person was discovered outside the house on the property, which sits on a large plot of land in West Penn Township near Tamaqua in Schuylkill County.

Pennsylvania State Police say two people who lived in the home got out safely.

“We have a body in the back, and that’s all still part of this whole investigation,” Boem said.

West Penn Township Police Chief James Bonner said two people — “an uncle and nephew” — lived in the three-story single-family home and were able to escape the fire. He said two other firefighters were treated for injuries.

They said more than 100 firefighters and officers responded shortly before 4 p.m. Bonner called it an active crime scene, with Pennsylvania State Police and the federal bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms assisting the investigation.

Zachary Paris joined the Frederick County Fire and Rescue Service in February. He was also a volunteer firefighter in Pennsylvania. He leaves behind a wife and two daughters, the Frederick County Firefighter’s Union said.

Stay with News4 for more on this developing story.

The victim reported the incident to police. They said it happened while driving westbound Friday afternoon on Routes 340 and 15 near Mount Zion Road, according to a Maryland State Police release.

The victim told police after the suspect began to tailgate them, he passed them, rolled the window down and pointed a handgun at them.

After the incident, the victim said the suspect pointed the gun at another car and drove the car left onto Mountville Road from southbound US Route 15.

Police released a picture of a red Volvo S40 sedan in connection with the suspect. The photo was taken by the victim, police said.

The case is being investigated as first-degree assault.

Police are asking anyone who recognizes this car or witnessed the incident to contact them. 

This is a developing story. Stay with News4 for more updates.

Deputies went to a house in the 5800 block of Haller Place at 2:12 a.m. after the suspect’s sister called to report the attack, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said in a release.

First responders found a man — believed to be the suspect’s father — outside, down the street from the home. The mother was inside with apparent stab wounds, authorities said.

While first responders performed CPR, deputies encountered the suspect, who was armed, authorities said.

Three deputies fired at the suspect, who died on the scene, authorities said. Information about their identity wasn’t immediately released.

The father was taken to a local hospital, then pronounced dead, authorities said.

The mother was taken by helicopter to a trauma center in Baltimore and is in stable condition. Her injuries were found to be superficial, authorities later said.

No deputies were reported injured. The 911 caller was not injured.

Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins said the crime scene stretched throughout the house.

“This is a very large crime scene, a pretty horrific crime scene,” Jenkins said.

A knife was recovered at the scene, and a homicide investigation is ongoing.

Law enforcement shut down roads in the area, a relatively new residential neighborhood. Authorities said they had not been called to the family’s address before.

The Maryland Attorney General’s Office Independent Investigative Division will investigate the deputy-involved shooting with assistance from the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, according to the release.

Police body cameras captured some of the incident, and that footage is set to be released within 14 days, said Thomas Lester of the Attorney General’s Independent Investigation Division. The deputies involved are set to be identified within 48 hours.

The Independent Investigations Division is tasked with independently investigating police shootings in Maryland.

Stay with News4 for more on this developing story.

The woman said she was traveling alone on I-270 North near the exit for Fingerboard Road around 7:45 p.m. when the incident happened, according to a Maryland State Police release.

The woman told police the suspect was initially driving behind her and flashing their high beams. The driver then changed lanes, made their car adjacent to hers, showed a gun and fired shots into her car.

The woman’s name was not immediately released. She was struck in the leg and was later taken to a hospital for her injury.

She was driving a dark blue Jeep Wrangler during the incident, according to police.

State police do not have a good description of the suspect or the car. They said the suspect continued to drive on I-270 North after the shooting.

In the area of the incident, police said they found evidence that showed multiple shots may have been fired.

I-270 Northbound roads were closed Sunday between Exit 22 and Exit 25 during the investigation, police said.

If anyone has any information, they are asked to call the Maryland State Police at 301-600-4150.

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The teacher escorted 27 students from Green Valley Elementary School in Monrovia, Maryland, leading them almost a mile through the woods to The Buzz Café. There, she asked the staff to call police and report multiple stabbings at the school shortly before 12:30 p.m., the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said. Initially, café staff spoke to the dispatcher, and then the teacher herself did.

Green Valley Elementary School went into lockdown, but as deputies were responding, they called the school and found out that there were no stabbings — but that 27 5th graders and a teacher were missing.

“How is it possible to get 27 kids out of the school?” parent Nancy Megever asked. “And in the woods, like one mile.”

Deputies went to both the café and the school, which was locked down, according to the sheriff’s office. Deputies determined no one was stabbed at the school, the sheriff said.

The students told investigators that the teacher had told them to remove any brightly colored clothing. Authorities said the teacher was distraught.

“The teacher had taken off any bright clothing that she had had, and she also instructed her students to do the same,” said Todd Wivell of the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office. “So, when the teacher got there, when the staff member got there, that’s what the staff at The Buzz Café saw.”

All students were OK, authorities said. They were taken by bus back to the school about an hour later. The school returned to normal status Thursday, and dismissal took place as usual.

Deputies took the teacher to a hospital for an evaluation. The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said it can’t discuss medical matters and will not share the current status of the teacher.

However, authorities wanted to be clear that she was not criminally arrested. No charges have been filed at this time.

The sheriff’s office said while the teacher was inside the school with the students, she tried to call the front office to get permission to take them outside for class. She didn’t get a reply and felt the school was “eerily quiet,” authorities said.

“As part of her teaching in emergency management procedures and following the avoid, deny, defend tactics, she leads the children through the woods and 7/10 of a mile up the road to The Buzz café,” the sheriff’s office said. As they were walking through the woods, she had the students remove any brightly colored clothing and accessories and removed her own brightly colored shirt to avoid detection, the sheriff’s office said.

Nancy Megever has a stepdaughter who attends Frederick County Public Schools. She said, after hearing about what happened, she would not feel comfortable dropping her off Friday. But she said she felt bad for the teacher and that no one at the school had noticed she wasn’t doing well.

“They have to check on mental health more as much for the students, but teachers as well,” she said in Spanish.

A parent who has two children at Green Valley Elementary School said Friday morning that he hadn’t received any information from the school about what happened.

On Friday afternoon, authorities said sheriff’s deputies, FCPS administration and Green Valley Elementary School staff held a meeting with the families of all 27 students involved in the incident. They said they were working to provide additional mental health staff at the school Friday and next week to work with any child or staff member who needed help.

The proposal is called the Sugarloaf Plan, and the nonprofit that owns the land says if changes are approved, it will close the mountain to the public.

Stronghold Corporation owns the land but allows public access to trails and other outdoor space. It says the county’s new zoning plan infringes on private property rights and adds unnecessary government oversight.

Supporters say the change would ensure the land is protected, no matter who owns it in the future.

Officers responded to a two-car crash in the area of Route 40 and Harmony Road in Frederick at about 9:30 p.m. on Friday, the Maryland State Police said in a statement.   

The crash occurred when a driver was traveling north on Harmony Road, attempting to cross Route 40 while at the same time, another driver was going through the intersection and the two vehicles collided, according to police.

One of the cars was a Toyota Prius driven by Donald Frederick Reineke, 89, of Frederick. The other car was a Chevrolet S10 pickup truck, driven by John Michael Hartman Jr., 40, of Frederick, police said.

Reineke was pronounced dead at the scene. Hartman was transported to a hospital for his injuries.

There were road closures for three hours following the incident. Police are investigating the cause of the crash.

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“I’ve lived in the area since the early ‘70s, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been out here, you know, hiked up to the top,” Connie Oliver said.

Gordon Strong, a patent attorney, purchased the property acre-by-acre from a mining concern starting in the early 1900s. He built a mansion and homes on the property, raised a family, paid local laborers to build roads and trails, paying African American workers the same salaries as whites – a novel concept back then.

“It’s really a benefit to the residents in this whole area,” Oliver said.

Before he died, Strong wanted to see that continue. He set up Stronghold Incorporated as a steward of the mountain and its immediate environs in the 1940s

“It’s amazing how much this area is developed, and I was just saying to my friend that it would be a shame if this continued this way,” Oliver said. “I’m not anti-development but I am pro parks and mountains.”

Strong had the foresight to keep development at bay – it’s part of Stronghold’s mission.

Lately, Frederick County has sought to do the same thing through zoning changes – the Sugarloaf Plan – but Stronghold’s board isn’t happy with it, finding it too restrictive for the mountain.

“If the Sugarloaf Plan as presented for public hearing on Oct. 11 passes, Stronghold will cease allowing general public access to Sugarloaf Mountain,” Stronghold attorney Noel Manalo said.

Stronghold points to forest management and other environmental concerns they say they’ve been addressing for decades.

The Sugarloaf Alliance supports county zoning changes.  

“So that in the future no matter who owns the property or how they choose to manage it, it will be conserved and protected,” said Sugarloaf Alliance President Steve Black.

Opponents say it would create an unnecessary layer of government involvement on private property. There’s also concern over surrounding property values.

“The end goal’s the same for everybody,” Black said. “The question is how to get there.”

A Frederick County Council vote on the Sugarloaf Plan is scheduled for Tuesday.

Deputies responded to two separate incidents, a hit-and-run, and a possible armed robbery, in the 15600 and 15800 Blocks of Old Frederick Road in Emmitsburg, Maryland at 1:15 a.m. on Saturday, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. 

When deputies arrived, the driver of the suspected hit-and-run, Aaron Dove, 43, of Emmitsburg was firing fireworks from his car at individuals and a house. Dove ignored the deputies and went south on Old Frederick Road.

According to witnesses and victims at the scene, Dove had been to the home several times that evening. They said he shot a roman candle at an individual, striking him in the chest, the individual then grabbed the roman candle to push it away, before Dove drove over the victim’s foot.

The victim was not injured by the firework, police said. 

Another witness said Dove hit a car parked in front of a neighbor’s house. Deputies later found notable damage on the car. 

Dove was wearing a tactical vest and helmet during the incident. Deputies said he resisted arrest and they used tasers, pepper spray, sponge rounds and stop sticks before they were able to remove him from his car and place him into custody. 

Illegal fireworks, a pellet gun, an open can of pellets, an air pistol, an air long gun, knives and aerial fireworks were found in his car.

Dove received 18 charges and six traffic citations including assault, reckless endangerment and fireworks discharge without a permit. 

If anyone has any additional information they are asked to call 301-600-1046.

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The threats of violence were made on social media and authorities were notified at 6 p.m., the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. The threats were later found to not be credible.

According to the sheriff’s office, deputies conducted multiple interviews on Saturday and identified the suspect.

The suspect is a female juvenile who is a student at the school. Authorities are not releasing her name and identity because she is a juvenile.

Charges in the case are pending. Frederick County Public Schools may also discipline the student.

The school notified the high school’s community and shared a video about social media threats in an email Sunday morning.

This is an ongoing investigation. If anyone has any additional information, they are asked to contact Frederick County Sheriff’s Office at 301-600-1046.

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“These things will go on, my girls still will not have their dad at their wedding, so there is never closure,” said grieving widow Sara Laird. She described her awful loss as the fire department revealed some of the mistakes made in his death.

The after-action report says that when firefighters first pulled up to a large house fire on Ball Road last August, they had no idea how long it had been burning or the damage it had already caused. Heavy smoke conditions had firefighters struggling to see, and there was no immediate water supply.

Capt. Laird then stepped inside the house. The report says, “The operations assistant chief told [Capt. Laird] that they were not going inside yet ‘because we don’t have good water,’ but did not directly tell [Laird] to immediately exit the building.”

When he turned around, Laird was gone.

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A photo from the report shows where he fell through a floor, conscious, alert and calling for help, making what the fire service calls a mayday.

The report stated: “… upon receipt of the Mayday, there was a lack of tactical discipline, crew integrity issues, and lack of coordination between units operating on the fire ground.”

The report concluded: “…[m]ultiple organizational policies were not followed by both company and Chief Officers on this incident.”

On Friday, Sara Laird spoke fondly of her late husband and thanked the fire service and community for the support.

“He was a consummate professional, even to the end,” she said. “Based on this report and the ATF report, nothing would have changed this tragic outcome, other than the failure of the corrugated stainless steel tubing under lightning strike conditions.”

Investigators believe the fire began when the house was hit by lightning.

“I’m grateful to be allowed to be a part of these things, and that does help me in my healing process,” Sara Laird said.

Capt. Laird was able to make several radio transmissions after falling into the basement, telling firefighters where he was and what equipment they would need to get to him, but it wasn’t enough. In his last transmission, he keyed the mic and said, “Hey guys, tell my family I love them.”

The full report, numbering more than 180 pages, is available on the Frederick Fire and Rescue website.

Sara Laird also thanked the charity Tunnels to Towers, which helped pay off her home.

The suspect is a student at Oakdale High School in Frederick County, Maryland, authorities said.

Frederick County Sheriff’s Office school resource officers and detectives began investigating after they were notified of a threat of violence made to the Oakdale High School community shortly before 7:30 a.m. Thursday. Authorities said that cell phone users throughout the school building received images with text alluding to a bomb threat, imposed over images. The messages were sent via Apple’s AirDrop feature, the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies and school administrators ultimately determined the threat was not credible.

School resource officers conducted multiple interviews throughout the day and identified a male juvenile who is a student at the school as a suspect, authorities said. Officials charged the student, via a referral to juvenile court, with threats of mass violence and disruption of school activities.

The school was placed in a “hold” status while officials investigated, meaning all students and staff remained in place until they were released by school or law enforcement authorities.

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“This behavior is never acceptable, it doesn’t matter if it is the first or last day of school,” said Sgt. Kevin Britt, FCSO SRO sergeant. “The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office will not tolerate these threats of mass violence in or directed at our schools and children. We will continue to treat every threat seriously and criminally charge those responsible when appropriate.” 

Frederick County Public Schools may also enact their own disciplinary actions.

The sheriff’s office is not releasing the name or any other identifying information of the juvenile due to his age.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office at 301-600-1046.

The Board of Elections released a statement Monday saying, “Out of an abundance of caution the Frederick County Board of Elections will vote to decertify the results of the 2022 Primary Election and rescan the mail-in and provisional ballots.”

Elections officials believe human error was to blame, and they say there was no malicious intent.

About 100 ballots may have been counted twice. This could have a big impact because one county council race is separated by just three votes.

The Board of Elections plans to vote to decertify the results by midweek and then rescan hundreds of provisional and mail-in ballots.

“In preparing to do a recount in the County Council District 3 Democratic primary contest, we found over the weekend that there were some discrepancies between the votes cast and the ballots we had on hand in a couple of categories, the mail-in ballots and the provisional ballots cast in the primary election,” said Anthony Gutierrez, Frederick County deputy election director.

The numbers were not adding up, so the board decided to throw out all the results and rescan the ballots.

“We had canvassers come in to check the envelopes and check the validity, and the board approved those ballots to be scanned, so it’s in the process where it was being scanned, we think, possibly human error, inadvertently, may have scanned ballots twice, so again, [in an] overabundance of caution, we’re going to ask the board to let us do it again,” Gutierrez said.

The board of elections will rescan about 17,000 ballots, likely on Thursday.

Jazmin Di Cola was running against District 3 Councilmember M.C. Keegan-Ayer and came out on top, but that result is now in question.

Keegan-Ayer had already asked for a recount.

News4 could not reach Keegan-Ayer for comment, but we did get a statement from a lawyer representing Jazmin Di Cola, which reads: “It’s disappointing that the County Board of Elections made a mistake in their vote tally and isn’t able to identify whether it has anything to do with the vote count in District 3. But, it’s important to acknowledge that the board is doing the right thing here by rescanning the ballots to be sure that the vote count is correct and accurately reflects the will of the voters.”

As for the process that may have led to the scanning of ballots twice: “Certainly, we’re very sensitive to the public confidence in the process,” Gutierrez said. “Again we will be doing a full review when time permits.”

No other races in the county are nearly as close as the one between Di Cola and Keegan-Ayer.

Amtrak Capitol Limited Train 29 was headed from D.C. to Chicago at about 5:15 p.m. when the train hit a tractor-trailer hauling lumber, Amtrak and the Frederick County Division of Fire and Rescue Services said. 

None of the 142 passengers on board the train or any members of the crew were hurt, Amtrak said. The driver of the truck was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not believed to the life-threatening, the fire department said. A second person in the truck was not hurt.

Witnesses said the tractor-trailer was on the train tracks and stuck in traffic near the MARC station in Brunswick when the crossing bars began to close.

“With nowhere to go due to the backup and no way for the train to stop, the back passenger side [of the tractor-trailer] was stuck, throwing it into the passenger truck and causing it to strike the building,” a statement by the fire department said. 

The impact of the train hitting the tractor-trailer pushed the huge vehicle across both lanes of S. Maple Avenue.

Images from fire department show lumber reduced to splinters near the train tracks. 

S. Maple Avenue was closed for more than six hours as crews from 84 Lumber worked to clean up the mess and help a towing company remove the vehicles.

Amtrak is working with local law enforcement to investigate, the rail service said. They reminded drivers and pedestrians to use “extreme caution” around railroad tracks and crossings.

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Nearly 100 firefighters from Frederick, Montgomery and Carroll counties responded to the blaze in the 9600 block of Ethan Ridge Drive in Urbana about 2:25 p.m., Frederick County Fire and Rescue said. The fire took over three floors on the back of a townhome and extended to the houses on either side.

All residents from the townhomes were able to get out safely and there were no injuries, the fire department said.

Massive orange flames could be seen shooting out from the roof of the home and clouds of dark smoke billowed out into the sky.

Once firefighters were able to extinguish the fire, the townhome’s roof was mostly gone. Blackened soot and ash covered what remained of the home’s frame, which appeared all but destroyed.

The two townhouses on either side of the home sustained moderate damage, the fire department said.

Residents who were displaced are receiving help from the Red Cross.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Frederick County Fire Marshal’s Office.

Stay with News4 for updates to this developing story.

Frederick County Fire & Rescue crews were called to the Edward Thomas Memorial Pool at Baker Park in Frederick for reports of a near-drowning about 5:45 p.m Friday. The child was pulled from the pool prior to their arrival and was conscious when firefighters arrived.

The child was assessed by EMS and then transported via medevac helicopter with critical injuries.

It was unclear if a lifeguard or bystander rescued the child. The pool was very busy at the time, and several bystanders and children were in and around the pool.

Stay with NBC Washington for more.

Jacob Christian Wilford, 22, of Knoxville, Maryland, is expected to survive and face criminal charges, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said.

Deputies served Wilford a domestic violence-related protective warrant on Friday evening, the sheriff’s office said. It barred Wilford from a property in the 300 block of East Mountain Road in Knoxville.

About 11:15 p.m., someone called police and reported Wilford was at that property, officials said.

Wilford was found hiding behind a shed at the property. When deputies ordered Wilford to come out, he threw a projectile at deputies, officials said.

One deputy fired and hit Wilford in the arm, officials said. Other deputies gave first aid, then Frederick County Emergency Medical Services took him to a hospital in Baltimore, officials said.

One deputy had a body camera activated but officials said they didn’t plan to release footage at this time.

The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said charges were pending and an investigation was ongoing early Saturday morning.

Stay with News4 for more on this developing story.

Shawn Blumenfeld, of Emmitsburg, was the victim of the crash on Taneytown Pike. He was 51. 

Blumenfeld, known to many as Bega, was a bike courier, mechanic, racer and coach. He had consulted professional cyclists and competed in televised tours, said Lane Blumenfeld, his brother. 

“He really touched a lot of people, and I’ll miss him,” he said. 

Blumenfeld was riding in the 10000 block of Taneytown Pike when he was hit by a 2021 Dodge van, Maryland State Police said. Troopers responded at about 2:45 p.m. 

Medics pronounced Blumenfeld dead at the scene. 

The driver of the van, a 26-year-old Pennsylvania man, remained at the crash scene and did not report any injuries. Any charges are pending the outcome of an investigation and consultation with county prosecutors. 

Blumenfeld was conscientious about bike safety, his brother said.

He led “a life well-lived,” his brother said. 

“Most of us in this world probably don’t necessarily follow our passion. We do what we need to do or what we have to do. He was able to live his passion and do what he loved to do,” Lane Blumenfeld said.

The suspect is in stable condition at a hospital and the deputy was not injured, according to the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office.

A deputy on patrol for St. Patrick’s Day overnight tried to pull over a driver who was allegedly speeding and possibly intoxicated on Interstate 270 and Route 85 about 2:45 a.m., officials said.

The driver didn’t stop, and the deputy followed him to the Kingsbrook Community, officials said.

The suspect got out of the car on Castle Court and began to run, then fired at the deputy, Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins said. The deputy fired back, striking the suspect. Multiple shots were fired, Jenkins said, but he was not sure of how many.

The suspect was shot three times and was taken to a shock trauma center by ground, as helicopters were not flying due to fog at the time, Jenkins said.

The sheriff’s office said a gun was found at the scene. Another deputy was in the area and heard the shots, but she did not see the shooting, Jenkins said. The deputies were not wearing body cameras.

The sheriff’s office identified the suspect as 28-year-old Lookman-Khalil Abolajo Bello. (Earlier, they had provided his first, middle and last names in a different order.)

The deputy’s name has not been released.

There was a passenger in Bello’s car at the time of the incident, Jenkins said. She was not hurt and is being questioned.

Jenkins called the shooting “clear cut” but said it was early in the investigation.

“The fact is this man shot at my deputy first” and the deputy “rightfully returned” fire, Jenkins said.

He said a possible DUI charge for the suspect would be determined later.

He said there was a warrant out for the suspect for failure to appear in court for child support.

The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said Bello had warrants out from the sheriff’s office, the Frederick Police Department and the Washington County Sheriffs Office for offenses including failure to pay child support and driving with a suspended license.

Jenkins said the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office had contacted the Maryland attorney general’s Independent Investigations Division, as required.

“They were advised, they made the determination they will not be investigating,” Jenkins said, so the sheriff’s office will handle the investigation.

The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said to expect a law enforcement presence in the Kingsbrook area but there was no threat to the community.

Stay with News4 for more on this developing story.

Frederick County deputies along with school resource officers responded to Middletown Middle School in Middletown, Maryland, about 9 a.m. Wednesday for threats posted on Instagram and Snapchat, the sheriff’s office said. 

Frederick County Public Schools determined that a social media post “containing hate speech and the threat of violence toward Black students” had been distributed, the school system said in a tweet.

The photos in question were taken in January or February and featured racist remarks and the suspects with weapons, authorities said.

The sheriff’s office said it “took the proper steps to ensure the school and Middletown community was safe.” The school was not locked down at any time, according to the sheriff’s office.

Deputies searched the students’ bedrooms with the consent of their parents and found several fake firearms, the sheriff’s office said.

Authorities said one student who did have a real handgun also faces a weapons charge in addition to the hate crime charge.

“We can’t and won’t tolerate these types of threats or messages that disrupt and create fear in our communities. Let me be very clear: The students responsible are going to face some serious consequences,” Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins said at a news conference on Thursday.

“This is not a school system issue. This is a community issue. We cannot tolerate hate speech as a community and it requires all of us to point the finger at ourselves to examine what we are doing to make sure we prevent these types of things from happening,” Dr. Eric Louers-Phillips, the executive director of FCPS, said.

The students have since been released back into their parents’ custody. Authorities have not identified them because they are being treated as juveniles.

Anyone with information or who received the image directly from a student in the photo is asked to contact FCSO SRO Deputy 1st Class Andy Smothers at 301-600-7138.

Frederick County deputies along with school resource officers responded to Middletown Middle School in Middletown, Maryland, at around 9 a.m. for threats posted on Instagram and Snapchat, the sheriff’s office said. 

Frederick County Public Schools determined that a social media post “containing hate speech and the threat of violence toward Black students” had been distributed, the school system said in a tweet.

Authorities said the pictures in question were taken in January or February, shared on social media and featured racist remarks and the suspects with weapons.

Multiple suspects were identified, and the sheriff’s office said it “took the proper steps to ensure the school and Middletown community was safe.”

“Furthermore, deputies conducted searches of the involved student’s bedrooms and accounted for all firearms. It was determined that several of the firearms pictured were fake,” authorities said. “At this point, the suspects will be treated as juveniles and as such their names and other identifying information will not be released.”

An investigation is underway and it is unclear if the suspects will face criminal charges. 

“FCPS has no tolerance for discriminatory language and hate speech,” the school district said.

The school was not locked down at any time, according to the sheriff’s office. 

Anyone with information or who received the image directly from a student in the photo is asked to contact FCSO SRO Deputy 1st Class Andy Smothers at 301-600-7138.

This is a developing story. Refresh for updates.

School staff reported a strange odor about 10:15 a.m. and began evacuating the building.

A county HAZMAT team detected some kind of irritant that apparently was released inside the school.

Five students and one staff member were taken to a hospital to be evaluated. Seven more students and another staff member were evaluated on site for minor symptoms, but they declined to go to a hospital.

The school was determined to be safe, and students were allowed back in about 11:30 a.m.

Parents or guardians who wanted to pick up their students early were permitted to do so.

Sheriff’s deputies are investigating the incident and are reviewing video footage from inside the school. Criminal charges will be forthcoming once a suspect or suspects are identified, the sheriff’s office said.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office at 301-600-1046 and reference case #22-023646.

The incident came a day after a teen in the county allegedly brought bleach to his school to make mustard gas. That incident involved a 14-year-old student at Urbana High School who will be charged as a juvenile, the sheriff’s office said.

The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said a 14-year-old Urbana High School student watched a TikTok video on how to make mustard gas, then shared it on Snapchat, indicating that he planned to make mustard gas at school, news outlets report.

The school was evacuated Thursday morning after staff alerted the school resource officer to the threat and said a student brought a potentially hazardous material into the building, the sheriff’s office said.

The potentially hazardous material found with the student in his backpack was determined to be bleach, the sheriff’s office said. No other ingredients needed to make mustard gas were found on the student, sheriff’s office spokesman Todd Wivell said.

Students and staff returned to the building about two hours after he building was evacuated, official said.

The teen will be charged as a juvenile and charges are forthcoming, the sheriff’s office said.

At around 3:45 p.m., deputies responded to an abduction in progress in the 8200 block of Reich’s Ford Road in Maryland, authorities said. 

The sheriff’s office said the suspect, 40-year-old Christopher Shultz, entered the home and forcefully kidnapped two children under 12 years old. Their exact ages were not revealed. 

The children’s father followed the suspect, who had no relation or rights to the children, according to the sheriff’s office.

Shultz allegedly failed to stop his vehicle for authorities, but ultimately parked in a business parking lot, authorities said.

“When the deputies approached Shultz, he failed to obey their commands and got out and opened the backdoor of his vehicle, deploying a Rottweiler dog and holding it by his side,” the sheriff’s office said. 

When he opened the door to get the dog, deputies said they were able to identify one of the kidnapped children in the backseat.

Shultz was arrested at the scene. Authorities did not say how they managed to take him into custody, or elaborate on whether the dog continued to pose a threat. 

“The quick response and interception of the suspect by our deputies prevented this from being a further traumatic situation for the children,” said Lt. Jason Deater, FCSO Patrol Operations assistant commander.

The children were safely reunited with their family, Deater said.

Shultz faces two counts of abduction for children under 12, two counts of kidnapping for children under 16, two counts of false imprisonment, one count of home invasion, third-degree burglary, trespassing on posted property and second-degree assault.

Editor’s Note (Feb. 28, 2022 at 5:30 p.m.): The Frederick County Sheriff’s Office issued a correction of the spelling of the suspect’s last name. His name is Christopher Shultz.

Derek Truitt, of Austin, Texas, was arrested in Kansas earlier this month, the sheriff’s office announced Wednesday. He was charged with three counts of second-degree rape. It wasn’t immediately clear if he had a lawyer. 

He also faces federal charges for alleged production of child pornography and for alleged interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct. 

The sheriff’s office received information last year on a sexual assault complaint by a girl, they said, without releasing her age. 

“Through the course of the investigation, detectives determined that Truitt, who posed as a teen, allegedly met with the complainant several times, and performed sexual acts,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. 

Truitt was detained with help from the Department of Homeland Security and law enforcement in Kansas and Texas, the sheriff’s office said. 

It’s possible that there are other victims, said Lt. Andy Crone, FCSO Criminal Investigations Section commander.

“Our case is still an open investigation, and we encourage anyone who feels there were victimized to come forward,” he said in his office’s statement.

Anyone with information on the case or who believes they were a victim is asked to contact Det. Rowe at 301-748-7898 or at jrowe@frederickcountymd.gov. 

All three were flown to a hospital in Baltimore, said Frederick Police Chief Jason Lando. He identified the officers as Bryan Snyder, 43, who is in his second year on the force, and Kristen Kowalsky, 32, a nine-year veteran of the department. Both were shot in the torso, said Dr. Thomas Scalea of Shock Trauma in Baltimore, adding that their conditions are stable and they are awake. They have been released from the hospital.

“It is such a tough time. These officers go out on the street every day,” Lando said. “They risk their lives, they want to do the best job they can for the community. So it’s very disheartening as a police chief.”

Lando told an afternoon news conference that at 12:43 p.m., the officers were dispatched to the call about a suspicious man with a gun.

The chief said when the officers reached the scene, “an incident” took place that led to the shooting. He did not elaborate.

“Two Frederick City Police officers responded, walked up and approached the person in a non-confrontational manner,” said Todd Wivell of the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office. “They did everything they could to deescalate any situation.”

The suspect was identified as Dominique Lamarr Lewis, 25, of Hampton, Virginia. Lewis underwent surgery, Scalea said, after being shot in the torso. He is still being treated at the hospital.

Lewis was charged with attempted first and second-degree murder, first-degree assault and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, Maryland State Police said.

Asked if all three were expected to survive, Scalea said, “I hope so.”

The officers had body cameras, but Lando said the footage hadn’t yet been reviewed. Police said they recovered the suspect’s gun.

Maryland State Police is leading the investigation.

Several schools in the area were briefly placed on lockout status, meaning doors are locked and students and staff go inside, where activities are conducted as usual, Frederick County Public Schools tweeted.

The Office of the Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division and the Maryland State Police will investigate the shooting, Lando said.

Lando thanks the community for an outpouring of support in a statement Saturday morning.

“Watching helicopters lift off from the scene with our cops inside was the hardest thing I have witnessed in a long time,” his statement read. “I am so thankful that both are going to make a full recovery.”

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The victim said he was headed south at about 5:40 p.m. when he was shot prior to Doctor Perry Road, Maryland State Police said in a statement Thursday. 

“He said he changed lanes and was adjacent with [a] BMW when the shots were fired into the victim’s white Kia,” police said. 

The shooting victim pulled over, and state troopers responded and helped him. He was alone in the car. The victim was taken to a hospital via ambulance and treated for injuries. Information on the extent of his injuries was not released. 

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Troopers found evidence of a shot that hit the side of the victim’s Kia.

The shooter was a woman driving a white, newer model BMW crossover, the victim told police. She had a passenger in the front seat, police said.

State police asked police departments in the region to be on the lookout for the shooter’s car. Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact state police. Callers may stay anonymous. 

The person, who was not immediately identified, was found as deputies responded to a fire in the 10800 block of Gambrill Park Road in Wolfsville, the sheriff’s office said. 

Photos show flames engulfing a home. 

Deputies responded to the fire at about 7:30 p.m. An investigation is underway. Anyone with information is asked to contact the sheriff’s office. 

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“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of BC Chris Morlan this morning from complications of COVID-19. Please keep BC Morlan’s family and our Division in your thoughts and prayers,” the department posted on Twitter.

Morlan’s family is requesting privacy, the department said. More information was not provided.

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