The DC MD VA Live@TheDMVLive
A 68-year-old male is facing 66 separate charges after a violent series of shootings and carjackings across northern Prince George’s County on Friday afternoon, leaving at least two people injured — one critically 🚨
The Prince George’s County Police Department identified the suspect as Larry James Simpson, of Glen Burnie, MD, who investigators say was linked to five separate crime scenes spanning College Park, Riverdale and Greenbelt. Additional charges could still be filed as the investigation continues.
The crime spree began around 2:30 pm on the 5100 block of Pierce Avenue in College Park, where officers responded to reports of a man pointing a long gun from a vehicle window and firing several shots. No injuries were reported at that location.
A short time later, investigators said Simpson fired at a vehicle traveling on Riverdale Road near the Baltimore-Washington Parkway in Riverdale. A bullet shattered the window of a car driven by a 64-year-old man, causing cuts to the victim’s head from broken glass. The man was taken to a hospital with injuries considered non-life-threatening.
Minutes later, police said Simpson flipped the car he was driving on 67th Avenue at Patterson Street in Riverdale. After climbing from the wreckage, investigators say Simpson carjacked a Nissan and opened fire on multiple people nearby.
One man was struck and critically wounded during the shooting, though police said he is expected to survive. At least four victims were fired upon during the incident.
Police said Simpson then drove to Kenilworth Avenue and Good Luck Road, where he allegedly shot at a woman before stealing her Toyota. The victim was not injured.
The series of incidents ended in the 9000 block of Edmonston Road in Greenbelt, where police say Simpson attempted to carjack another vehicle and fired in the direction of an off-duty Prince George’s County police officer who had been following him in a personal vehicle.
According to investigators, the off-duty officer was unarmed but witnessed one of the carjackings and began tracking the suspect while calling his wife, who is also a Prince George’s County police officer. She relayed the suspect’s location in real time to responding officers and partner law enforcement agencies.
With assistance from three U.S. Park Police officers, authorities arrested Simpson at the scene. Police recovered an AR-15-style rifle following the arrest.
Simpson was taken to a hospital for injuries believed to have been sustained in the Riverdale crash before being transferred to the custody of the Department of Corrections.
He is currently charged with sixty six offenses, including 16 counts of attempted first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted second-degree murder, along with related charges.