Police Observed Suspect Drop Gun Before Alleged Robbery Near Mall

Two Howard County Police officers watched a suspect drop a handgun, pick it up, then allegedly rob a man, while an accomplice acted as a lookout in a parking lot near the last week, according to a police report.

Immediately after the robbery, both men were arrested by the officers.

According to the report, Odell Kareme Copeland, 31, and Pierre Antwan Booth, 28, were observed by two police officers in a parking lot in front of Union Jacks near the mall around 11:30 p.m. on Sept. 6. The officers wrote they were stationed in a nearby parking garage.

As the two men walked toward another man, who was standing near his driver's side door, the officers watched Booth pull a black handgun out of his waistband, fumble it and drop it onto the ground in front of him, according to the report.

Booth then picked the handgun up and continued with Copeland toward the man standing at his car, wrote police. As Copeland kept lookout, the officers watched as Booth allegedly forced the man into his vehicle, pointing the gun at him, according to the report.

Soon after, Copeland and Booth walked away from the man and that's when the officers responded, pulling up to the suspects and ordering them to the ground, according to the report. Both men were then placed under arrest.

Police recovered a .40 caliber high point semi autmoatic handgun next to a car where Booth was arrested, according to the report.

After interviewing the victim, the officers determined Booth had allegedly pointed the gun at the man's head and stole a pack of cigarettes, car keys, $75 and a cell phone from him, which police recovered, according to the report.

Booth, of the 9500 block of Oak Trace Way in Randallstown, and Copeland, of the 5200 block of Eliots Oak Road in Columbia, were both charged with armed robbery, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, theft of less than $1,000, robbery and the use of a firearm in a violent crime. Booth was also charged with possesion of a handgun, concealing a dangerous weapon and possesion of a handgun with a felony conviction.

Copeland's preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 5 at 8:30 a.m, Booth's is scheduled for Oct 10 at 1:15 p.m.

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