Howard officials probing cop’s shooting of teens

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Howard County prosecutors are investigating the shooting of two teenage boys by an undercover narcotics officer who claimed his gun accidentally discharged during an investigation of suspected drug activity in Jessup.

“Police-involved shootings are often reviewed as a matter of course by the state’s attorney’s office,” said Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office spokesman Wayne Kirwan.

Senior Assistant State’s Attorneys Danielle Duclaux and Lara Weathersbee, who is head of the juvenile department, declined to comment because the boys are juveniles.

Garcia Wilson, 15, and Dwaine Usery, 14, both of Jessup, appeared to be involved in a drug transaction when the officer accidentally shot them about 5:20 p.m. April 7 on the 8300 block of Pleasant Chase Road, police said.

Drugs were found at the scene, police said.

“They don’t have anything to charge my guy with,” said Wilson’s attorney Charles Ware, who filed notice of a lawsuit against the county in April and agreed to have Wilson meet with prosecutors about the investigation later this month.

“He was never in a position to be doing any illegal activity.”

Prosecutors are not filing criminal charges against Wilson, according to a June 5 letter, obtained by The Examiner, written by Duclaux to Ware.

“After consulting with Dario Broccolino, the state’s attorney for Howard County, and the Howard County Police Department, no criminal charges will be filed against your client. ...” Duclaux wrote.

Prosecutors would not comment on whether Usery will be charged, but his mother said Friday that her son is not being criminally charged and has filed a lawsuit against the county.

She declined to give her name or comment further until speaking with the family’s attorney.

The Police Department has been conducting an internal investigation into the officer’s actions, but refused to release his name because he was working undercover.

Police said two officers were conducting drug surveillance and stopped the teens for questioning.

As the officers got out of their vehicle, one officer’s weapon discharged, police said, and hit Wilson’s arm before striking Usery in the abdomen.

Wilson was treated and released the same night from Howard County General Hospital. Usery was flown to the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.

Both teens were freshmen at Hammond High School in Columbia.

cpeirce@baltimoreexaminer.com

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