A man who escaped from Maryland State Police custody after shooting at and assaulting a trooper at Laurel Regional Hospital early Tuesday was captured after a five-hour manhunt that caused a high school to be temporarily locked down.
Police said Kamara Mohamed, 39, was rearrested after breaking into a trailer near Contee Road about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday — only about a mile from the hospital. The hospital is a part of the Prince George’s Hospital Center system.
Laurel High School, 1.3 miles away from the scene of the escape, was locked down during the manhunt as police closed off roads near the hospital. Officials enacted their evacuation plan, and those that had not yet arrived by bus were taken to Greenbelt Middle School, system spokesman John White said. Classes resumed at about 9 a.m., he said.
Mohamed was initially arrested Sunday on vehicle theft charges, said state police spokesman Greg Shipley. Police took him to the hospital Monday after he complained of chest pains. He escaped about 3 a.m. after wrestling a weapon away from the female trooper who was guarding him, Shipley said. The trooper pursued Mohamed outside the building, where he shot at her but missed. Most of her injuries were the result of struggling with Mohamed, he said.
“He assaulted her pretty bad,” Shipley said.
Prince George’s Hospital Center spokeswoman Suzanne Almalal failed to respond to several messages left Tuesday seeking information on safety plans at the facility.
Shipley would not identify the female officer but said she is recovering in the Laurel hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Kamara was also taken to the Laurel hospital.
“He is heavily guarded,” Shipley said.
Shipley said they believe Mohamed is part of a vehicle theft ring responsible for thefts of at least three vehicles from Harford County dealerships Saturday. He was arrested when he arrived at a Hyattsville storage facility Sunday where police were investigating. Shipley said police are still investigating and additional charges against other ring members are expected.
Police said Mohamed gave an Oxon Hill address that they were still trying to verify late Tuesday.
