He was arrested while at school.
Rockville, Md (KM) Montgomery County Police have charged a Burtonsville man with a series of incidents in the Briggs Chaney area where five people were shot by a pellet gun. Tyler Neal, 18, was taken into custody on Thursday at Paint Branch High School where he’s a student. School administrators located a pellet gun in Neal’s backpack.
He is charged with 1st-degree assault, four counts of 2nd-degree assault, having a dangerous weapon on school property and four counts of felony malicious destruction of property. Police say the charges stem from these incidents in January:
*January 16 – The front windshield of a vehicle parked in the 13800 block of Castle Boulevard was damaged by pellet gun rounds.
*January 17 – A 31-year-old man was driving his vehicle on Columbia Pike in the area of Briggs Chaney Road when his front passenger door window was shattered by a pellet gun round.
*January 23 – Exxon Gas Station located at 3050 Briggs Chaney Road. A 38-year-old man was shot in the cheek with a pellet gun as he pumped gas. The victim’s vehicle was also damaged by pellet gun rounds.
*January 23 – Parking lot of shopping center located in the 13800 block of Outlet Drive. A 53-year-old man was shot at by a pellet gun. The victim was not injured. His vehicle was damaged by pellet gun rounds.
*January 29 – Parking lot of shopping center located in the 13800 block of Outlet Drive. A 39-year-old female was shot in the leg with a pellet gun and a 37-year-old female was shot in the upper body.
* January 29 – In the 14100 block of Aldora Circle. A 41-year-old male was shot in the arm by pellet gun rounds as he loaded items into his vehicle. The victim’s vehicle was also struck multiple times by rounds from the pellet gun.
Police say they released video surveillance of the unknown suspect to the media and the public. Investigators say they received a tip which led to Neal as a suspect. He was arrested on Wednesday at Paint Branch High School. A pellet gun was located in his back pack.
By Kevin McManus