Police have arrested 18-year-old Jovan Terrell Williams, who also went by the nickname “Chewy,” the second suspect in the horrific Morgan State University shooting during this year’s homecoming. Allegedly, he is also suspected of being “involved in [a] violent drug trafficking group.”
Officials have said that none of the suspects have known ties to Morgan State, “and police believe the intended target was not among those injured.” Five individuals were injured, four of whom were students. Fortunately, there were no casualties and everyone survived.
Detectives used campus surveillance video footage to identify the suspects. They then released images captured from the recordings to the public, asking for any help in locating the whereabouts of the individuals.
Williams’ arrest was the culmination of an almost two-month long manhunt, wherein the first suspect was apprehended within a week of the Oct. 3 shooting. Per CBS, he “was on the run until this past Friday when he was arrested by police in D.C., who were also searching for him for his alleged involvement in a violent drug trafficking organization called the ‘Kennedy Street Crew.’”
After the other 17-year-old shooter was arrested a month ago, the Morgan State University community had been waiting for news of the second wanted shooter’s arrest. The news still caught some by surprise, however. As Taheed Nelson, a freshman at the HBCU, said “To be honest I was like, ‘Wow, like now, they caught him?’ Because it took so long.”
Williams “has been charged with attempted first-degree murder,” on top of other charges according to CBS News.
Lance Hatcher, Morgan State Police and Public Safety Chief told the outlet, “A lot of good old fashioned police work went into this investigation and the apprehension.”
“I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the work done by the Metropolitan Police Department and our other law enforcement partners,” U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland Mathew Silverman stated. “These officers developed investigative leads and took swift action that empowered law enforcement to take a notoriously violent fugitive off the street,” Silverman added.
Brandon Scott, Mayor of Baltimore, said “The Morgan State community has been forced to grapple with the violent, reckless decision of a few individuals who had no regard for the lives around them.”
“I want to thank the U.S. Marshals, BPD, and Morgan State Police for diligently working this case until these suspects were apprehended. I hope that this will be a sign to everyone that if you come into Baltimore City, endanger lives, and injure people, we will not rest until you are held accountable,” continued Scott.