“I did something so bad, you might see me on the news. I killed someone."
Police arrested 22-year-old Benjamin Williams about 14 hours after the shooting at the MGM National Harbor food court. He is facing first and second-degree murder charges, along with additional related charges.
According to WTOP News, Williams contacted an unidentified person after the shooting and said, “I did something so bad, you might see me on the news. I killed someone.” Investigators have not released a motive, though police believe the attack was targeted and said there is no broader threat to the public.
Charging documents state that Williams arrived at MGM National Harbor in a vehicle with temporary plates and walked through the casino before reaching the food court, where he encountered the victim, Danrell Hawkins Jr. Hawkins had been ordering food and tried to flee but was struck by Williams and pronounced dead at the scene.
Police said the two had no interaction immediately before the shooting, but investigators believe they knew each other. After firing the shots, Williams fled in his car. Surveillance footage helped identify him, and he was taken into custody at about 2 am on Thursday.
Prince George’s County Police Chief George Nader said the shooting took place in a mall setting, explaining, “It’s like any other business or place where people have access to. It’s a shopping mall, you don’t get checked for weapons when you go into a shopping mall.”
Nader also said violent crime has dropped 32 percent this year, calling incidents like this rare. “We can’t prevent every crime from occurring, but when we’re able to solve cases quickly and make arrests, I think it brings some comfort to not only the family but the community at large.”
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