UPDATED: 18-Year-Old Charged In Shooting on Starr Street in Edgewood

From the Harford County Sheriff’s Office:

(Edgewood, MD – January 14, 2010: 4:00pm) On Wednesday, January 13, 2010 at approximately 11pm, Harford County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a 911 call in reference to a shooting that occurred in the 2000 block of Starr Street in Edgewood MD. The victim, Thomas Joseph Sweiger, 20, of Bel Air, MD was shot twice. He was transported by ambulance to Bayview Medical Center by Abingdon Volunteer Fire Company. At this time, his condition is stable. Within minutes of the initial call, deputies were on scene and able to quickly determine and locate the suspect, who is currently in custody.

Harford County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the 500 block of Edgewood Road in response to a 911 call received at approximately 11pm on January 13, 2010 for a shooting. Upon arrival, deputies located two individuals, the victim, Thomas J Sweiger, 20 of Bel Air MD, who had been shot in the leg and the head, and a second uninjured person. The two informed deputies that the incident had occurred somewhere in the Harford Commons area of Edgewood MD. This information led deputies to a second location where witness accounts were able to assist deputies in identifying a potential suspect in the incident. In less than fifteen minutes, deputies were able to locate and apprehend the alleged shooter, as well as determine that the crime had taken place in the 2000 block of Starr Street, Edgewood, MD. Sweiger was transported to Bayview Medical Center by Abingdon Volunteer Fire Company. He is currently listed in stable condition.

It was the information provided to and previous experiences with the alleged shooter that allowed the deputies to locate the suspect so quickly after the original 911 call. He was discovered in the 400 block of Gateshead Court bleeding from an open wound to the head. The suspect was transported to Upper Chesapeake Medical Center by Joppa Magnolia Fire Company for treatment of his injuries.

The suspect was identified as Shawn Scott Stansbury Jr., 18 of Edgewood MD. Investigation revealed that Stansbury entered the residence in the 2000 block of Starr Street in Edgewood MD at approximately 11:45pm on January 13, 2010, displayed a handgun, pointed it at the resident and demanded they produce any valuables. In addition to the person who resides in the home, there were three others including victim, Thomas Joseph Sweiger. Through investigation, detectives of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office/Maryland State Police Investigative Task Force determined that while pointing the gun from victim to victim, Sweiger found an opportunity to grab a baseball bat that was in the area of where he was standing and struck Stansbury in the head. Stansbury, then shot at Sweiger striking him in the forehead and lower leg. As Sweiger fell to the ground, Stansbury shot randomly inside the residence towards the direction of the other victims causing an immediate threat to them. As Sweiger lay on the ground injured, Stansbury pointed the gun towards Sweiger, continually pulling the trigger. The gun clicked, but no rounds exited the gun indicating that all the live rounds within the weapon had been fired. Stansbury then fled the scene on foot with a bloody head injury received when being struck by the bat. He was apprehended by Harford County Sheriff’s Office deputies at his residence in the 400 block of Gateshead Court in Edgewood MD. A .22 caliber revolver was recovered in Stansbury’s residence.

Shawn S Stanbury Jr, 18 of Edgewood MD has been charged with the following: Attempted 1st and 2nd degree murder, armed robbery, various handgun violations, assault in the 1st and 2nd degree, and reckless endangerment. He is being held without bond at the Harford County Detention Center. His bail review hearing is scheduled for January 15, 2010 at 1:15pm in the District Court of Maryland for Harford County located at 2 S. Bond Street, Bel Air, MD 21014.