On June 5, 2013, at approximately 3:50 a.m., officers from the Southern District responded to the 1300 block of Burton River Road in Lothian for a possible shooting.
Upon arrival, officers located 21-year-old male victim inside of the residence and also came into contact with three other occupants, two adult males and a 17-year-old female. The three other occupants reported that the victim was in an upstairs bedroom by himself when they heard a loud pop. The victim was discovered by the occupants suffering from a possible gun shot wound to the lower torso. The victim was transported by ambulance to Prince George’s Hospital Center for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
Through further investigation, consisting of evidence collected from the scene, a series of subsequent interviews and a search warrant, Southern District Detectives were able to determine that all parties at the residence were known to each other and the victim and suspect were guests at the residence. The victim, a 21-year-old male from Edgewater, was asleep in the home when the suspect, attempting to pull a prank on the victim, grabbed a .40 caliber handgun, which he believed was a BB gun, and fired one round at the victim while he slept, striking him in the lower torso (buttocks) area.
The handgun was determined to be legally owned by the homeowner’s son, who was not determined to be involved in the shooting. The actual homeowner was not present during the incident. The victim remains at Prince George’s Hospital Center, where he is being treated for non-life threatening injuries. The investigation is ongoing.
After consultation with the State’s Attorney’s Office, the suspect, Patrick Stapleton, 22, of 11447 Mt. Hermon Road in Ashland, Virginia, has been charged with Second Degree Assault and Reckless Endangerment.
