A Newark-area man is in custody on homicide costs after he allegedly opened fireplace on the married homeowners of an Elkton motel within the foyer of their institution on March 5 — killing the lady and critically wounding her husband, in accordance with police and Cecil County District Court docket data.
Investigators recognized the suspect as 26-year-old Hakeem M. Evans, who was a visitor on the New Jap Inn at 291 E. Pulaski Freeway (Route 40) when he allegedly fatally shot Ushaben Patel, 59, and critically wounded her husband, Dilipbhai Patel, additionally 59, via a glass partition within the workplace foyer.
Lt. Lawrence Waldridge of the Elkton Police Division stated EPD investigators arrested Evans, who had fled from the scene, on the close by Royal Farms retailer at 1199 E. Pulaski Freeway in Elkton with out incident shortly after the shootings. Earlier than making the arrest, an officer had spoken to Evans on the cellphone with the help of Evans’ mom, Waldridge confirmed.
EPD Det. Joshua Leffew is listed because the arresting officer in courtroom data.
After receiving a report of a capturing, EPD officers responded to the motel at roughly 9 p.m. March 5 and located Ushaben Patel lifeless in a residential space behind the foyer workplace, in accordance with charging paperwork, which present that she had suffered a gunshot wound to her chest.
Dilipbhai Patel had suffered a gunshot wound to his hip, police stated. An ambulance crew took him from the motel to Christiana Hospital in Delaware, the place his situation was listed as steady on Saturday afternoon after arriving there in important situation, police added.
Surveillance cameras videotaped the shootings, courtroom data present. EPD investigators had been capable of decide that the shooter seen in that footage was Evans, the identical man who had rented Room 206 at that motel in some unspecified time in the future earlier than the incident, police reported. Charging paperwork point out that EPD officers additionally had been capable of communicate with witnesses.
“The video confirmed Evans on the partition, talking with administration, and he appeared to be arguing for a brief time frame with administration, earlier than he places a handgun via the glass gap of the partition and shoots what seems to be three rounds on the victims earlier than the firearm seems to jam,” courtroom data allege.
Waldridge stated there was a dispute over the room Evans was staying in. As of late Saturday afternoon, nonetheless, investigators nonetheless hadn’t decided the particulars of that dispute, he reported.
After his gun apparently jammed, in accordance with charging paperwork, Evans ran again to Room 206 after which fled from the motel in a automobile, which was occupied by one other one that isn’t recognized in courtroom data.
An EPD officer was capable of contact Evans’ mom, who, earlier, had pushed Evans to the New Jap Inn, police reported.
“Each Evans’ mom and the officer spoke with Evans by phone and tried to get him to show himself in. He didn’t need to achieve this instantly, however he was finally taken into custody,” courtroom data present.
EPD investigators checked Evans’ legal report, which confirmed a Might 2014 conviction in Delaware for second-degree assault (recklessly or deliberately inflicting bodily harm with a weapon), in accordance with charging paperwork.
Due to that felony conviction, Evans is prohibited from possessing a firearm, courtroom data allege.
Evans is charged with first-degree homicide, tried first-degree homicide, first-degree assault, use of a firearm within the fee of a felony or a criminal offense of violence and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in accordance with courtroom data. His preliminary listening to is about for April 2, courtroom data present.
Evans remained within the Cecil County Detention Heart with out bond on Saturday, in accordance with courtroom data.
The Asian American Lodge Homeowners Affiliation launched a press release that the group is “shocked and outraged” by the homicide and capturing on the Elkton resort.
“We provide our deepest sympathies to Dilipbhai Patel and his household, and our neighborhood is mourning with them at the moment. Assaults in opposition to hoteliers proceed to extend, and that is yet one more horrendous episode of violence in opposition to Asian People that’s plaguing our society,” stated AAHOA president and CEO Cecil P. Staton.
Staton stated this additional compounds the stress in an already disturbing occupation.
“All through the COVID-19 pandemic, hoteliers have labored to ease the tensions of on a regular basis life for his or her friends. The previous yr positioned undue anxiousness, ache, and uncertainty on our nation, but hoteliers proceed to welcome friends into their inns and their communities,” he stated within the assertion. “This crime compounds the anxieties resort homeowners face. Each hotelier is aware of that one thing like this might occur to them at any time.”
He concluded by saying he was assured that Maryland authorities would assist the Patel household discover justice.
