Person of Interest Held After Upper Marlboro Random Shootings

The Prince George’s County Police Department announced on January 5 that a person of interest was in custody following multiple shootings in unincorporated Upper Marlboro the previous day. Officers located 65-year-old Joseph Holt III shot and unresponsive inside his vehicle near Watkins Park Plaza at about 7:20 a.m.; he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Later that evening, at about 8:10 p.m., patrol officers responded to reports of additional shootings in the same area and found two more victims. An adult male had been shot in his vehicle and was in stable condition. An adult female was shot in the stomach and listed as in critical but stable condition. A third person in the vicinity was shot at but was not struck. Patrol officers canvassed the neighborhood, located a person of interest nearby, and recovered a weapon that investigators say has been linked to the fatal shooting of Holt.

Detectives believe the victims were randomly targeted. The Homicide Unit is leading the investigation, which remained active as of January 5. The department asked anyone with information to contact Homicide Unit detectives or Crime Solvers.

The sequence of events underscores immediate public safety concerns for residents of the Watkins Park Plaza area and surrounding neighborhoods. Random shootings complicate investigative leads and strain community trust in public safety, particularly when incidents occur in quick succession across a single day. The recovery of a weapon linked to the fatal shooting will be central to building a prosecutable case, but detectives will rely on additional witness accounts, surveillance footage, and forensic evidence to connect all incidents and determine motive.

For local officials and police leadership, the episode raises questions about patrol patterns, visibility, and preventive strategies in unincorporated areas. Rapid response and canvassing led to a person of interest being taken into custody and the recovery of a weapon, but the department’s ability to provide timely information and follow-through will shape community confidence as the investigation continues.

Residents are advised to remain vigilant, report any information that could assist detectives, and use official department channels to share tips. The Homicide Unit and Crime Solvers are the designated points of contact for information related to these shootings as investigators work to clarify the sequence of events and ensure accountability.