OCEAN CITY – Five individuals were arrested on weapons violations, thanks to a coordinated effort by multiple law enforcement agencies.
On Monday, Ocean City police officers attempted to stop a vehicle for driving without headlights in the area of 17th Street and Baltimore Avenue around 11:09 p.m. The vehicle failed to stop for officers and continued north on Baltimore Avenue. Officers did not pursue the vehicle. Officers on stationary patrol in the area of 34th Street attempted to stop the vehicle again. The vehicle fled from officers at a high rate of speed. Officers observed the vehicle run several red lights and make several unsafe lane changes. Officers stationed at 59th Street were able to successfully deploy stop sticks. The vehicle continued west on Route 90 leaving Ocean City. Officers provided a broadcast of the vehicle’s description to fellow allied law enforcement personnel.
Ibrahim Santwa Kanu
Officers drove out to the intersection at St. Martins Neck Road to ensure the vehicle did not become disabled on the Route 90 Bridge since the stop sticks did deflate one tire. Officers observed the vehicle stopped in the area of the western bridge with multiple people exiting the vehicle. The vehicle continued on Route 90 after four occupants exited the vehicle. Both spans of the Route 90 Bridge are marked with official signage prohibiting pedestrians.
As officers approached the group of occupants on the bridge, they observed Ibrahim Kanu throw a bag over the side of the bridge into the bay below. Officers with the Ocean City Police Department detained all four individuals on the bridge. Due to the vehicle failing to stop, occupants fleeing on foot, furtive movements by the occupants, and throwing the bag into the bay, officers conducted frisks of the four individuals detained. Three of the individuals were juveniles and did not have any weapons on them. When officers frisked Kanu, they located a loaded handgun.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police (NRP) responded in their boat to recover the floating bag beneath the bridge. An officer with NRP was able to retrieve the bag from the bay and informed Ocean City officers that a handgun was located inside it. Ocean City officers met NRP at the shoreline and took custody of the bag and loaded handgun.
Officers continued searching the area for the vehicle and driver. Members of the Ocean City Police Department
Matthewos Mulugeta
Special Enforcement Unit located the vehicle parked at a gas station on Racetrack Road in Berlin. The driver of the vehicle was observed entering the gas station. Members of the Ocean City Police Department and the Maryland State Police responded to the gas station and were able to detain Matthewos Mulugeta.
Through a coordinated effort between the Ocean City Police Department, Natural Resource Police and the Maryland State Police, five arrests were made.
Kanu, 19, Woodbridge, Va., was charged with possession of firearm/ammunition as a minor, handgun on person, loaded handgun on person, loaded handgun in a vehicle, handgun in a vehicle, negligent driving, reckless driving, attempt by the driver to elude uniformed police by failing to stop and 35 additional traffic citations.
Mulugeta, 20, Arlington, Va., was charged with possession of firearm/ammunition as a minor, loaded handgun in a vehicle, and handgun in a vehicle.
Three juveniles were also charged. One juvenile, 17, of Alexandria, Va., faces charges of possession of firearm/ammunition as a minor, loaded handgun in a vehicle, and a handgun in a vehicle. The juvenile has been waived to adult status.
The second juvenile, 16, of Lorton, Va., is charged with possession of firearm/ammunition as a minor, loaded handgun in a vehicle, and a handgun in a vehicle. The juvenile has been waived to adult status.
The third juvenile, 17, of Lorton, V., is charged with possession of firearm/ammunition as a minor, loaded handgun in a vehicle, and a handgun in a vehicle. The juvenile been waived to adult status.