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Stafford resident Raheem Adams, 22, is being held in Virginia following a joint investigation with the Prince George's County Police Department in connection to the murder of Waldorf native John Phipps inside a vehicle over the weekend, police say.
At around 1:45 a.m. on May 19, officers were called to a shopping center parking lot in the 6400 block of Marlboro Pike, in District Heights, where they found Phipps inside a vehicle suffering from a gunshot wound.
He was taken to an area hospital, where he later died on Sunday morning. A second man was also shot, though his injuries were less severe and considered non-life-threatening.
Tipsters helped investigators identify Adams as a suspect in Phipps' murder and deputies from the Stafford County Sheriff's Office took him into custody at his home on Wednesday, May 22.
"Information provided by the community to both investigators and Prince George’s County Crime Solvers were instrumental in this investigation," officials said.
Adams was arrested and charged with first-degree and second-degree murder, second-degree attempted murder, and related offenses. He is being held in Virginia pending his extradition back to Prince George's County.
“These car meets are a true concern to law enforcement both in our region and across the country," Prince George's County Police Chief Malik Aziz stated. "When the department is made aware of specific, credible intelligence, the agency plans accordingly and allocates resources to either prevent or disperse the gathering.
"In addition, follow-up investigations are conducted and those who break any laws are charged accordingly," Aziz added. "As is evident in this case, these gatherings can turn violent. We don’t want to see anyone injured or killed."
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