Suspect, witness in Gaithersburg shooting remain at large, police say
Witness has not been seen since Aug. 7
This story was corrected on Sept. 14, 2010. An explanation follows the story.
Police are searching for a suspect and a witness in connection with a shooting in Gaithersburg.
A 25-year-old man was shot once in his apartment in the 300 block of North Summit Avenue about 10:55 p.m. Aug. 7 and taken to a hospital in critical condition, Montgomery County Police said. He is still recovering.
The suspected shooter, 21-year-old Anthony Felder, is still at large.
Felder, also known as "Tony Banger," and three other men forced their way inside the apartment after knocking on the door, police spokeswoman Lucille Baur said. The man was at home with his girlfriend and sister, according to charging documents filed in Montgomery County District Court in Rockville.
Racquel Shenise Thompson, 22, was with the four men but has not been charged because she was not involved in the fight, Baur said. She is acquainted with Felder and has not been seen since the shooting. Police do not believe she is in danger.
Two of the men, Rashad Bass, 23, of the 21200 block of Hedgerow Terrace in Ashburn, Va., and his cousin Russell Bass, 23, of no fixed address, were charged with first-degree burglary and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, first-degree assault and first-degree burglary, police said.
Police do not know the identity of the fourth man.
Russell Bass had argued with the 25-year-old man at the apartment earlier that day because Bass was being forced out of a rap group both men belonged to, according to documents. Bass and three other men returned with Thompson, who was supposed to do the sister's hair, and forced their way inside.
The four men fought with the 25-year-old and fled after he was shot, according to documents. The bullet went through his torso and lodged in a door frame. Bass was overheard telling Felder, "Give me the gun, I'll do it," before the man was shot.
According to Felder's and Thompson's Facebook profiles, they were married June 10.
Rashad and Russell Bass are being held on $50,000 bail each at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in Clarksburg.
Rashad Bass' attorney, Richard Finci of Greenbelt, declined comment. Attorney information was not available for Felder or Russell Bass.
Thompson received an interim peace order against Felder in May 2009 but the case was dismissed when neither appeared at a hearing three days later, according to an online state court records database. Another woman was granted a final peace order against Felder, then living in Baltimore, in June 2008, according to the database.
Police say they have obtained a warrant charging Felder, of no fixed address, with attempted first-degree murder and other crimes. He is described by police as a 5-foot-11 black man weighing 170 pounds, with short black hair, two teardrop tattoos on his face and a "B" tattoo on his forehead between his eyes.
Police describe Thompson as a 5-foot-2 black woman weighing 165 pounds.
Anthony Felder and Russell Bass have criminal records, according to the database.
Felder pleaded guilty to drug possession in March 2008, violating probation in November 2008, second-degree assault in January 2009 and third-degree burglary Jan. 6. He was convicted of drug possession in September 2009.
Russell Bass, formerly of Silver Spring, was charged with marijuana and drug paraphernalia possession July 1. A Silver Spring woman filed peace orders against him in 2006 and on July 15. He pleaded guilty to paraphernalia possession in December 2006 and June 2009, and pleaded guilty to marijuana possession in September 2008. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit second-degree assault in October 2005 and violating probation in January 2007.
Separate preliminary hearings have been set for Rashad and Russell Bass in the most recent case. Rashad Bass' preliminary hearing is set for 10 a.m. Sept. 17 in Rockville. Russell Bass is scheduled to appear before the court Friday at 10 a.m. for this case. He goes to trial on Oct. 4 at 8:30 a.m. for the July 1 drug charges, according to online court records.
mtierney@gazette.net
Anyone with information on where to find Anthony Felder or Racquel Shenise Thompson is asked to call Montgomery County Police at 240-773-6343. If you wish to remain anonymous, call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, which will pay a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to a felony arrest or indictment in the case, at 1-866-411-TIPS.
The original version incorrectly stated that Rashad Bass got in an altercation earlier in the day before the Aug. 7 shooting. His cousin Russell Bass was involved in the earlier fight, not Rashad, according to Montgomery County Police spokeswoman Lucille Baur.