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Sunday, June 18, 2017

OCPD Arrests Two Baltimore-Area Men for Serious Weapons Charges



OCEAN CITY, MD – (June 16, 2017): Two Baltimore-area men have been arrested after witnesses reported shots fired in the 100-block of Wicomico Street Thursday night.

On Thursday, June 15, 2017, at approximately 9 p.m. Ocean City police responded to the area of Wicomico Street and Baltimore Avenue after receiving reports of a man with a rifle and shots fired. Witnesses provided a description of the suspects and their vehicle. Patrol officers quickly located the suspect vehicle northbound on Baltimore Avenue and stopped the suspects with assistance from the Ocean City Police Department Narcotics Unit who were conducting a crime suppression detail in the downtown area at the time with the support of the Worcester County Criminal Enforcement Team and a Maryland State Police special enforcement team. The suspects were identified as Christopher M. Thomas, 20, and Tarik R. Purcell, 18, of Gwynn Oak, MD. The two were arrested without incident. During a search of the vehicle, officers located two Hi-Point 9mm carbine pistols.

After investigation, officers determined that Thomas and Purcell had gotten into a verbal altercation with another group before firing two rounds into the air in the 100-block of Wicomico Street. At that time, both parties fled the scene. Two spent shell casings were located in the area. No victims were reported during this incident.

Officers have charged Thomas with possession of a firearm by a minor, possession of a handgun, handgun in a vehicle, illegal possession of a regulated firearm, reckless endangerment, and discharging a firearm within city limits. Purcell has been charged with possession of a firearm by a minor, possession of a handgun, handgun in a vehicle and operating a vehicle with unauthorized window tinting. Thomas and Purcell are currently being held at the Ocean City Public Safety Building awaiting an initial appearance before a Maryland District Court Commissioner.

39 comments:

Anonymous said...

OC looking a lot like Baltimore....kiss the tourism goodbye.....so glad we left the shore.....

Anonymous said...

Enlist in the military, go to Af-gang-land and play with guns there!

An opportunity to turn your life around...OR not!

Anonymous said...

Gee...what a surprise. Two African American men from Baltimore behaving like thugs. Way to perpetuate the stereotype.

Anonymous said...

I wish I could believe they would turn their lives around.

Anonymous said...

Charged with possession of a firearm by a minor? One is 20 the other is 18.

Anonymous said...

This can't be true. These young men were just dreaming about starting college this fall.

Shadow said...

Nice work OCPD. Stay safe.

Anonymous said...

You need to be 21 to own a handgun.

Anonymous said...

Can't be. Remember last year Mayor Meehan said the boardwalk was safe.

Anonymous said...

1:44 All this talk about how luck you are to have left the shore is silly. There is not a place in this country that is not going to be touched by the violence that is yet to come if we don't get a handle on the youth of the nation.

Anonymous said...

If Obama had a son

Anonymous said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
1:44 All this talk about how luck you are to have left the shore is silly. There is not a place in this country that is not going to be touched by the violence that is yet to come if we don't get a handle on the youth of the nation.

June 16, 2017 at 3:32 PM

That is true but he is avoiding a lot of it for now.

Anonymous said...

"........so glad we left the shore....."
We're so glad you did, too.
Here's the scenario:
Two idiots; one moment out of one night; during "Senior Week; maybe 100,000 people in town; right next door to an "Under 21" rap-music club, and THIS is the worst news item to come out of Ocean City?
THAT it what you're judging this on? THAT'S why you'll never come back?
I just now looked up last night's crime report in Orlando (actually Orange County) Florida - the location of Disney World, population 97,000.
Last night they had two shootings, one death as a result, and 17 other reports of "violent crime".
"Happiest Place on Earth"? Sounds a lot like hell to me.
I'd add Disney World to your list of places to not visit.
1:44: Ya got to put this into perspective.
But if you truly feel that way, then prepare yourself for a lifetime of being bolted inside your house, sitting in a rocking chair with a baseball bat at the ready.
Society just isn't going to get any nicer anytime soon.

Anonymous said...

Is it a carbine (rifle) or a handgun? 9mm Hi-Point Carbine is not a pistol and can be owned by 18yo and up.

You can't equate Disney with Orange county FL. Disney is safe. There are plenty of poor/ghetto areas surrounding Orlando. Sanford, FL - Amtrak station area is no different than Baltimore.

Anonymous said...

It's sad that people can't leave where they came from behind when they come to OC.

Anonymous said...

Don't have any crime on the island where we live in FL. No homes under a million dollar and no riff raff.

Anonymous said...

They learned that just because you can do some things in Ghettomore, you can't do them elsewhere.

Anonymous said...

Gotta go back to profiling.

Anonymous said...

Good point, except that if Ocean City could circle the Town with a Monorail and a tall wall and charge $137.50 a head per day just to get through the gate, then it would be safe, too.

Anonymous said...

They was just playin a little grab a@$

Anonymous said...

Man, If they'd just get sheriff Mike on tv again to tell them how to keep things safe....

Anonymous said...

Both charged with possession of a firearm by a minor. Do you really have to be 21 to own a gun? That seems weird, but if they are considered "minors," does that work in their favor? Pretty Brazen to pop of a couple rounds right on Baltimore Ave, and at only 9 p.m. Clearly not the brightest Baltimorons. I first thought this had to happen after mid night, but was surprised to see it was only 9. I suppose, for the vacationing family, be indoors or be off the island at sun down, for your own safety, but that was how my mom dealt with taking me and my brother back in the 80's. We got there early and was gone by dusk.

It's sad I have to go all the way to Cape Hatteras when I want to enjoy the beach for a few days, and want to avoid trouble. Chincoteague isn't too bad for a beach vacation, but they just increase their beach pass and the island can be pretty crowded this time of year.

Anonymous said...

504, I love the Keys too!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Drink outdoors without problems. Drunks disappear, majority of the time no one under 30, very few strollers...AND still in the USA!

Anonymous said...

We live in Naples...could not agree more....very little crime....not a third of what the shore has and nearly 500k residents in the county...sure it costs more to live here......but I can walk anywhere and feel safe....

Anonymous said...

Oh moron.....just to clue you in Disney is not in Orlando for starters....maybe know what your talking about before you post.....for the record we moved to Naples Florida......crime is minimal considering collier county has nearly 500K residents....and its alittle bigger than the shore.....yes the wealth here has a lot to do with it.....your happy i left....I couldn't be HAPPIER I left....as my family would all
Agree it was the best move ever....next week we will be in the Keys camping less than 60 feet from the ocean....paradise...something the shore will never be called....it's SWFL's nickname for a reason....

Anonymous said...

You obviously haven't been or know much about Naples Florida...republican central...BS isn't tolerated.....

Anonymous said...

Yes the zip code is Orlando...that's it....

Anonymous said...

Moron?
Orange County, the bulk of WDW mainly, and a little in Osceola County, is where WDW is located.
Naples? Let's see:
CURRENTLY:
Naples, Florida, violent crime, on a scale from 1 (low crime) to 100, is 14. Violent crime is composed of four offenses: murder and non-negligent manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. The US average is 31.1.
WHY do you live in that hell-hole when you could be living in the relative safety of Ocean City Maryland?
(And to bring myself down to your level: "Why? Moron?"

Anonymous said...

"...but I can walk anywhere and feel safe...."
Then you're an complete idiot.
That "very little crime" does NOT have a name on it. It could very well be YOUR name.
Crime is everywhere. Especially in today's world.
Don't get too comfortable. You will be a victim if you do.

Anonymous said...

Hell hole???? Naples is one of the wealthiest towns in the country....over 20k millionaires and 20 billionaires cal it home! Awesome schools, i park anywhere in town for free,our two multilevel parking garages...free,beaches...park and walk 60 feet to the beach....world class shopping and restaurants.....very little crime as you mentioned.....I could go on and on.....ocean city is a slum compared to SWFL....so give it up.....

Anonymous said...

The difference is the shore begs for riff raff...there isn't much else left......most jersey beaches are now much nicer than OC....as they now cater to families....OC went after the quick dollar not the big dollar...it will continue to spiral down....I am very comfortable in Naples....don't have a reason not to be comfortable but I'm certainly not stupid....the difference is the quality of the people who visit our town.....Naples isn't interested in the quick dollar.....they don't need it...

Anonymous said...

8:27 You can't argue with idiots that rarely if ever leave the eastern shore. They have no clue except what they hear on fox news and the internet sites that cater to them. All of them think the entire country is in the same crap position as Salisbury/OC because they have been told that. WE own homes in 3 different states. Each of them is in a thriving area with plenty of jobs, great schools and low crime. They just don't know no better (in their words).

Anonymous said...

I've talked to two eye witnesses and they both say there were two shooters. One fired two shots into the air and the other fired a shot across the parking lot into a crowd of kids. Thank God they were not only stupid punks but were bad shots too. Someone is lying. I wonder who? The mayor and city council better start cracking down on the punks coming down here to start trouble. They are chasing away all of the good vacationers we all depend on. They have let them get away with so much over the years and turn a blind eye to all the problems with the under age night club. They need a lot more police there at night just to control the punks that hang out there to fight and deal and do drugs. The problem is NOT going to go away by ignoring it.

Anonymous said...

Kiss your tourism goodbye....sure the numbers will remain strong...not The families who come and spend real money...OC has long lost its charm....one of the reasons we moved away...the shore on a whole has lost its charm...

Anonymous said...

We are glad you have moved on too. Why do you care so much to make all these comments if you have moved on? We don't need your kind any more than we need these punks.

Anonymous said...

Some of us have moved our families and money to other states but still own properties and businesses in the area. We have as much right as you do to read this blog and comment about the ongoings on the shore. We are just not paying MD income taxes, have better schools, and live in thriving and safer cities than you. Sorry you were not smart or successful enough to do the same.

Anonymous said...

9:34 - So what city/state are you living in now that is thriving & safer? Our family is considering moving away from this party town filled inundated with a gazillion bars filled with a bunch of drunks.
Please let me know where you suggest. We'd like to move our kids away from this toxic society where getting wasted on alcohol is encouraged.
Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Have homes in PA and FL. Both have cities that meet those criteria.

Anonymous said...

Just google Naples Florida....jobs...great schools....low crime....world class town...left the shore 4 years ago for this paradise!!!