Detectives from the Montgomery County Police Department-Major Crimes Division are currently investigating a shooting that occurred at a shopping center in Germantown as a homicide.  Donald Wayne Bricker, Jr., age 27, of Hagerstown, was arrested last night and is currently in the hospital, being treated for non-life-threatening injuries that he sustained during a single-vehicle collision.  He is being charged with first degree murder.

Last night at approximately 7:33 p.m., the Emergency Communications Center (9-1-1) received multiple calls for a shooting that had just occurred in the parking lot in front of the Target located at 20908 N. Frederick Road in Germantown.  Officers responded to the area and located the victim, who had been shot.  She was transported to a local hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.  The victim is being identified as Mariam Folashade Adebayo, age 24, of Germantown.

Multiple witnesses at the scene observed an altercation in a vehicle between Adebayo and Bricker.  Witnesses stated that at some point during the altercation, Adebayo exited the vehicle to get away from Bricker.  The suspect then exited the vehicle holding a handgun.  Bricker fired the gun in the direction of Adebayo and she fell to the ground.  Bricker was then observed walking up to Adebayo and shooting her again.  Bricker then fled from the scene in a white, older model, Ford Ranger pickup truck.

The description of Bricker's vehicle was broadcast to all officers via the police radio.  At approximately 7:42 p.m., an officer located Bricker's vehicle in the area of Comus Road and Old Hundred Road in Dickerson.  The vehicle failed to stop and a vehicle pursuit was initiated.

At approximately 8:12 p.m., in the area of the 15800 block of Darnestown Road (Route 28), the suspect vehicle was involved in a single-vehicle collision; officers arrested the suspect.  The suspect was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries that he sustained in the collision. Officers seized the vehicle which contained evidence related to the crime.

Interviews with the victim's family and friends revealed that Adebayo and Bricker had been dating for approximately six months and had recently ended the relationship.

This is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with information about this shooting is asked to call the Department at 301-279-8000 (24 hour line).  Callers may remain anonymous.

RLI