Police Make Arrest in Silver Spring Pellet Gun Shootings

Mongtomery County Police have arrested a 20-year-old Silver Spring man, suspected to be responsible for a series of pellet gun shootings.

The suspect is identified as Omar Barnes, of the 8000 block of 13th Street in Silver Spring, the same block in which the shootings have occurred.

Police have been investigating reports of shootings involving a pellet gun since March, responding to three separate incidents in which citizens were struck on the 8000 block of 13th Street.  Investigators determined the shots had been fired from a nearby apartment building, but were unable to identify which apartment.

After responding to a call last Saturday May 14, a plainclothes officer in the area observed a man sticking his head out of a window of the apartment building, who then pointed a rifle barrel out of the apartment window. 

Officers located the apartment and made an arrest.  An an air rifle and pellets were also found inside the apartment.

Barnes is charged with several counts of first and second-degree assault and reckless endangerment.  He is currently being held on $75,000 bond.