Crime & Safety
Two Howard County Men Charged in Violent Kidnapping
Quinnton Brown and Stephen Hammond have been charged with kidnapping, robbery and attempted murder in an incident in Montgomery County.
Two Howard County men have been charged with kidnapping and attempted murder in the abduction of another man who fought his attackers and feigned a gunshot wound to escape, police said.
Montgomery County police charged Quinnton Brown, 24, of the 8900 block of Footed Ridge in Columbia, and Stephen Hammond, 28, of the 8500 block of Frederick Road in Ellicott City, in connection with the kidnapping, robbery and attempted murder of a 31-year-old man on Jan. 22 in Montgomery County, according to a statement from the Montgomery County Police Department.
Brown, an acquaintance of the victim, was arrested Jan. 27 after he was found in York, PA, police said. He was charged with attempted first-degree murder, kidnapping, robbery, use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence, use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, reckless endangerment and first-degree assault, according to the statement.
Find out what's happening in Columbiawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
He is being detained at the Montgomery County Detention Center.
Hammond was arrested Feb. 9 and charged with attempted first degree murder, kidnapping, robbery, use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence, use of a firearm during the commission of a felony, reckless endangerment and first degree assault, according to the statement.
Find out what's happening in Columbiawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
He is being held on a $750,000 bond.
The victim told police he was forced at gunpoint from his home in the 19800 block of Crystal Rock Drive in Germantown at about 8 a.m. Jan. 22. The suspects ordered him into a vehicle and drove to an ATM where he was forced to withdraw cash, according to the statement.
The suspects then drove the victim to a remote area on Game Preserve Road in Gaithersburg and forced him, again at gunpoint, to walk into the woods.
Fearing for his life, the victim physically fought with the suspects. One suspect shot at the victim, who feigned injury. The suspects fled the scene, police said.
The victim suffered minor scratches during the incident.
Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to call the Montgomery County Police Department's 5th District investigative section, 240-773-6237.
