Police Intervention Breaks Up Potential Melee

OCEAN CITY -- A Baltimore man was arrested on first-degree assault and other charges this week after allegedly pulling a knife on and threatening to kill another man in the middle of melee on a downtown street.

Shortly after 2 a.m. on Tuesday, an OCPD officer working in a plain clothes capacity in the area of 9th Street and Baltimore Ave. observed two large groups in the area, with one walking along the east side of Baltimore Ave. and the other walking in the middle of the street. One of the individuals, identified as Daymontay Lynet Johnson, 19, of Baltimore, could clearly be heard yelling at a member of the other group, “I got you, [expletive deleted] you,” and “I’ll stick you,” according to police reports.

The target of Johnson’s threats, identified as Kian Wayne Magruder, 19, was also yelling threats and cursing. At that point, about 50 people surrounded Johnson and Magruder and were attempting to break up the potential fight, according to police reports. The initial officer called for backup from uniformed officers because of the pending physical fight.

When the groups got to 9th Street, Johnson and Magruder squared up in fighting positions with the large groups surrounding them in a circle. The initial officer noticed Johnson’s hand down around his hip, but couldn’t see if he had anything in his hand. At that point, Magruder put his hands up in a defensive position and backed away from Johnson.

Meanwhile, uniformed officers arrived on the scene and advised Johnson to stop and sit down. However, Johnson fled the area and was apprehended around 9th Street and St. Louis Ave. after a brief foot chase and was arrested for disorderly conduct. The initial officer located Magruder around 10th Street and arrested him for disorderly conduct.

Magruder told police Johnson pulled a knife on him during the fight and said he was “going to stick him,” according to police reports.

OCPD officers talked with Magruder’s friends and corroborated the story about Johnson pulling a knife and threatening to stab Magruder. A search of the area around the initial confrontation revealed a knife in the grass near 9th Street and Baltimore Ave. where the fight originated.

Johnson was charged with first- and second-degree assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. Magruder, meanwhile, was found with three bags of suspect marijuana on his person at the time of his arrest. He was charged with disorderly conduct and possession of marijuana.