Crime & Safety

(UPDATED 12/17 9 p.m.) State Police Charge Suspects in Early Morning Carroll County Shooting

The robbery and shooting occurred early Friday morning in Taneytown.

Update: Saturday, Dec. 17 at 9 p.m.:

Maryland State Police arrested Dalonte S. Dunston, 21, of no fixed address in Frederick City Saturday afternoon in connection with Friday's early morning shooting in Carroll County, according to a press release.

Dunston was tracked by troopers after numerous interviews with known associates to his grandmother’s residence in the 1000 block of Heather Ridge Court in Frederick City. 

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After a brief foot-chase with Dunston he was taken into custody, according to the release. Troopers searched the Heather Ridge Court residence for evidence related to the Friday morning shooting.

Dunston was transported back to Carroll County where he was served with a warrant for attempted murder, first degree assault, armed robbery and numerous other related charges to the Friday morning shooting of a Taneytown man, according to police.

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Dunston is believed to be one of five people that went to 3909 Old Taneytown Road in Taneytown Friday morning with the intent to rob Alan J. Kent of money, drugs and guns.

Kent was shot in the leg and struck in the head with an expandable baton during the early morning robbery.

Three other men have been charged and a female that drove the vehicle to and from Kent’s residence faces charges for her role in the robbery. Kent was transported to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma and has been released with non-life threatening injuries. 

Investigators also recovered what they believed to be the handgun used by Dunston during the robbery. A citizen in Taneytown notified police that she found a handgun in some bushes blocks from where several suspects in the robbery were located on Grand Drive. The handgun was seized by state police investigators and will be compared with evidence located at the Old Taneytown Road crime scene, according to police.

The Westminster Barrack Criminal Investigations Section continues to investigate the incident.

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Update: Friday, Dec. 16 at 11:07 p.m.:

Three people are in custody, a warrant has been issued for a fourth, and charges are pending against a fifth suspect who Maryland State Police believe were all involved in a drug-related armed robbery and shooting at a Carroll County residence early Friday morning, according to a release.

The arrested suspects are identified as Trent M. Lequire, 25, of the 1900 block of Tyrone Road in Westminster, John W. Booth, 25, of the 300 block of Braddock Avenue in Frederick, and Isaiah M. Martin, 23, of the 1400 block of Heather Ridge Court in Frederick.

The three individuals have each been charged with attempted first degree murder, armed robbery, robbery, theft of $100 to $1,000, first- and second- degree assault, reckless endangerment, use of a handgun in the commission of a violent felony crime, and conspiracy to commit each of the previous charges, according to the release.

They are awaiting an initial appearance before a court commissioner.

An arrest warrant has been issued for a fourth suspect who is currently at large. He is identified as Dalonte S. Dunston, 21, of no fixed address. He has been charged with the same crimes as the suspects in custody. 

A fifth suspect has been identified as a female from Taneytown who drove the suspects to and from the scene of the crime.  She is expected to be charged at a later date with the same crimes as the other suspects. 

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Original story published Friday, Dec. 16 at 11:36 a.m.:

Maryland State Police have three suspects in custody and are searching for two more in an early morning robbery and shooting in Taneytown that left one person and a dog suffering from gunshot wounds Friday, according to a press release.

Criminal charges are pending against three male suspects who are currently in state police custody at the Westminster Barrack while police search for two additional suspects described as two "light complected" African American males.  One is about 5-foot-7-inches tall with black, buzzed-cut hair, wearing a black jacket and black pants, according to police. The other suspect is described as wearing a dark bandana across his face, a black jacket and a black hood over his head. 

The victims are identified as Alan J. Kent, 26, of the 3900 block of Old Taneytown Road and Samantha L. Stanley, 19, of the unit block of Zephyr Court in Taneytown.

Just before 2:30 a.m. Friday, troopers from the Westminster Barrack responded to a call for a reported armed robbery and shooting at a home in the 3900 block of Old Taneytown Road, Taneytown, MD. When they arrived, they found Kent, who had been wounded by a gunshot and from being struck in the back of the head by what may have been an expandable baton. The suspects had fled the scene.

The preliminary investigation indicates Stanley was visiting at Kent’s residence when a male suspect arrived at the home about 2 a.m. and called Kent outside, according to the release. Stanley said she heard yelling and a gunshot, before three suspects entered the house and a fourth stayed outside with Kent, said police.

Kent suffered a gunshot wound to the leg and was flown by Maryland State Police helicopter to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he is being treated for non-life threatening injuries, according to police. Stanley was not physically injured. 

One of the suspects pointed a handgun at her and demanded information about what was in the home. She said the man shot Kent’s dog when it came toward the suspect. The dog has been transported to a veterinarian for treatment, according to the release.

After removing a suitcase from the house, the victims said all four suspects left in a light colored Ford Explorer. State Police at Westminster issued a broadcast for the suspects. Carroll County Sheriff’s Office deputies and officers from the Taneytown Police Department responded to the area to assist with the search.

A Taneytown police officer searching the area spotted a light-colored Ford Explorer on Courier Court in Taneytown. When it was stopped for inspection, two African American males that were in the vehicle fled on foot and were not located, according to the release. 

The officer took two other males into custody. Police observed what appears to be blood on the vehicle and said an expandable baton was visible inside the truck. The vehicle was towed to the Westminster Barrack where it will be processed for evidence after a search warrant is obtained. 

Maryland State Police investigators from the Westminster Barrack are continuing the investigation. Troopers from the State Apprehension Team are assisting with the search for the remaining suspects. Deputies and Taneytown officers are also searching the area. 


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