A man was shot and killed inside a car Sunday night in downtown Silver Spring, and area residents tell News4 they worry that crime is getting worse.
Montgomery County police officers responding to a welfare call found the victim with a gunshot wound in a black vehicle in the 900 block of Bonifant Street.
Authorities have not yet released his name.
“Between 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., I heard what I thought was a gunshot,” Maria, who lives near the crime scene, said. “I saw a person lying on the street in a blue tarp and a lot of police personnel… It’s just tragic, I feel great compassion for the family.”
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The car where the victim was found was parked just outside of a Jamaican restaurant. An employee inside said they were closed Sunday night, and knew nothing about what happened.
It’s currently unclear what may have led up to the shooting, and Montgomery County police have not identified a possible suspect. They are asking anyone with information on what may have happened to contact them.
Maria worries the violence is becoming all too common.
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“This is the third shooting that I’ve seen on Bonifant or been adjacent to in the last year and few months,” she said.
The homicide comes three weeks after Montgomery County leaders held a news conference on the same street where the crime happened. They were announcing new legislation aimed at improving late-night safety in Silver Spring. The plan requires businesses that are open late to develop safety plans, and calls for improved lighting and more security cameras.
Cristina Celaya, who lives just across the street from where the victim was found, said she’s concerned for her safety.
“The ambulance is day and night, all the time. It’s getting worse. I’ve lived three years in here. When I moved it was so quiet, nice. But now, it's better to go back to another place,” Celaya said.
Maria said safety is top of mind, but she also doesn’t want fear to stop her from enjoying her neighborhood.
“I’m aware, but I’m not changing major things as I go about my life, because that’s not really living. I can’t let them win,” she said.
