Four Juveniles Arrested for Auto Theft and Possession of Firearm

A shooting incident leads to auto theft charges for three 15-year old males and one 16-year old male.Gaithersburg, MD – Three fifteen-year-old and one-sixteen-year-old males have been arrested and charged with auto theft following a shooting investigation in Germantown.On Monday, August 19, 2024, at approximately 4:52 p.m., Montgomery County Department of Police – 5th District officers responded to the 19200 block of Circle Gate Dr. for the report of a shooting.Officers located multiple shell casings and identified two apartments and a vehicle that were struck by gunfire. No victims were reported.Officers placed a lookout for the suspect vehicle, a black 2016 Hyundai Accent.At approximately 5:33 p.m., 6th District officers observed the vehicle in the area of Rothbury Dr. and Goshen Rd. Officers determined the vehicle was stolen and a short pursuit was initiated. Two suspects jumped out of the vehicle and ran away.The vehicle then came to stop in the 20120 block of Rothbury Ln., when the remaining two suspects ran away from the scene.Officers established a perimeter and all four male suspects were taken into custody.Two of the 15-year-old suspects were transported to the 5th District station and released to the custody of their parents/guardians.The 16-year-old was transported to an area hospital with minor injuries. He was transported to the 5th District station after being discharged from the hospital and released to the custody of his parent/guardian.The other 15-year-old suspect was apprehended by K-9 and during a search, officers located a loaded .40 caliber handgun. He was transported to an area hospital with minor injuries. Following his release from the hospital, he was taken into the custody of the Department of Juvenile Services, where he was also charged with possession of a firearm.It was through the teamwork, deployment of multiple resources and the collaborative efforts of the Montgomery County Department of Police – 5th and 6th District officers, K9 Units, the Violent Crime Information Center, Raven (Drone Unit), Gaithersburg Police Department and Prince George’s County Helicopter – Guardian, that these suspects were quickly apprehended.