A Washington, D.C., man has been charged with murder and animal cruelty in a vicious crime spree that included several carjackings across multiple cities.
Daeyon Ross, 22, faces more than a dozen charges in the Sunday afternoon crimes, which include the slaying of a father of four in an attempted carjacking and the killing of two dogs belonging to a different carjacking victim, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD) said in an online statement.
Daeyon Ross, 22, of Washington, D.C., was charged in a weekend crime spree that included the slaying of a father of four in an attempted carjacking and the killing of two dogs, police say.
Courtesy of Prince George’s County Police Department
Ross was arrested by Washington, D.C., police on Sunday following a police chase that involved several departments, ending in an exchange of gunfire, police said. Neither Ross nor any officers were injured. Ross has been charged by PGPD with first- and second-degree murder, armed carjacking, assault, firearms offenses, aggravated cruelty to an animal and more. D.C. police also expect to charge Ross in crimes committed in the city before extraditing him to Prince George’s County.
Newsweek has reached out via email to PGPD and the Maryland State Prosecutor’s Office for comment.
The crime spree began shortly after noon Sunday when Ross stole a vehicle on Addison Road in Capitol Heights, Maryland, PGPD Acting Deputy Chief Zachary O’Lare said to reporters at a Sunday press conference, which the department also streamed on social media.
O’Lare said Ross drove that first stolen vehicle, a Honda CRV, to Ritchie Road where he was involved in a collision near FedEx Field, adding that Ross got out and ran from the crash scene and into the parking lot of a McDonald’s on the same road, where he attempted to carjack an Acura ILX in the drive-thru lane. The driver tried to flee but Ross fired at the car, fatally shooting Kurt Modeste, 56, of La Plata, Maryland, O’Lare said.
“What I can say is I’ve done this job for a very long time and it’s extremely rare to come across an individual who has such a disregard for life,” he said. “What I can say is that I’m thankful to let the community know that the suspect is in custody. But what I don’t want is that to overshadow the damage he has done to our community.”
Modeste was a father of four, local reporter Sam Ford said on Twitter.
“Kurt Modesto, Metrobus driver was heading home from church Sunday when he stopped at a McDonalds to get food for a bed ridden brother he cared for,” Ford tweeted along with a photo of the victim. “PG Police say Daeyon Ross tried to carjack him and as Modesto tried to drive off, Ross shot and killed him. He was father of four.”
Kurt Modesto, Metrobus driver was heading home from church Sunday when he stopped at a McDonalds to get food for a bed ridden brother he cared for. PG Police say Daeyon Ross tried to carjack him and as Modesto tried to drive off, Ross shot and killed him. He was father of four. pic.twitter.com/6fXtC8ydhv
— Sam Ford (@SamFord7News) July 3, 2023
After shooting Modeste, police said, Ross carjacked a Toyota Scion that was also in the drive-thru. Three dogs were inside the vehicle and Ross shot and killed two of the dogs, according to police.
O’Lare said Ross then fled in the Scion, prompting officers from multiple police agencies, including PGPD and Capitol Heights, to pursue him into D.C. The acting chief said Ross attempted to steal another vehicle before engaging in gunfire with Capitol Heights officers.
Capitol Heights Police Chief Darryl Morgan confirmed one of his officers discharged their weapon at the scene.
“My officer did engage with the suspect in D.C. on Sheriff Road and did engage in a gunfight with the subject. Fortunately, neither parties were struck, and I’m thankful that my officer will be able to come home this evening to his family,” Morgan said during the Sunday news conference.
Prior to Sunday’s arrest, court documents show that Ross had a bench warrant issued for his arrest over violating his probationary terms by carrying a gun. The 22-year-old was on probation stemming from an armed robbery he committed at 16, when he held people up at knifepoint on the Metro. He was charged as an adult in the 2017 crime and served five years in a juvenile rehab facility.
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