3 Teens Charged In Series Of Shootings In Montgomery County

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — Three teens were arrested and charged this week in connection with a series of shootings that occurred in Montgomery County between March 2024 and August 2025, according to police.

Montgomery County detectives have charged the following people for their roles in the shootings, including some that took place in the Damascus Gardens community in Germantown:

• Samuel Wisdom, 18, of Germantown
• Ai’Jai Tyrell Smith-Nelson, 17, of Germantown
• Jaden Ochieng, 17, of Clarksburg

On Aug. 18, shortly after 2:40 a.m., Montgomery County officers responded to the 18800 block of Bent Willow Circle in Germantown for a report of a shooting. The caller told police they heard the sound of a shot and a woman scream.

About an hour later, officers were called to the 20800 block of Gaelic Court for another shooting involving an SUV that had been struck by gunfire. Three women were inside the vehicle but were not injured, police said.

Following an investigation, detectives identified Wisdom as the suspect responsible for attempting to kill the three victims, according to police. He was charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder, three counts of first-degree assault, reckless endangerment and multiple firearms-related offenses.

Investigators later determined that Wisdom, Smith-Nelson and Ochieng were also involved in a shooting that occurred several days later in the Damascus Gardens neighborhood, police said.

On Aug. 21, around 6:50 p.m., officers responded to the 9800 block of Bethesda Church Road in Damascus for multiple reports of shots fired.

Responding officers located shell casings, damaged property and a shooting victim nearby in the Brigadier Place neighborhood. The victim was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries.

Detectives later determined that Wisdom, Smith-Nelson and Ochieng were in the area at the time of the shooting and were seen together at a Germantown 7-Eleven in the 19400 block of Walter Johnson Drive, police said.

When officers approached, police said Ochieng ran from the store but was quickly apprehended. Authorities said he was in possession of a loaded black handgun that was later linked to the Damascus Bethesda Church Road shooting.

Smith-Nelson was arrested inside the 7-Eleven, where officers recovered a semiautomatic handgun on his person. That firearm was also connected to the Damascus Bethesda Church Road shooting, police said.

Both Smith-Nelson and Ochieng were taken into custody without incident.

Ochieng was previously charged for his involvement in two separate shootings, police said. On March 24, 2024, police said he attempted to shoot a student getting off a school bus near Neelsville Middle School on Archdale Road in Germantown.

On Aug. 8, 2024, police said he also shot at a person sitting on a park bench on Crystal Rock Drive.

In both incidents, police said Ochieng used stolen vehicles to leave the scene.

When officers attempted to arrest Ochieng at Northwest High School, police said he was found carrying a loaded gun and taken into custody. That gun was then linked to the previous shooting on Archdale Road and Crystal Rock Drive, as well as one other shooting in the region.

Wisdom and Smith-Nelson remain in custody at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit. Ochieng is also in custody in another jurisdiction.

These remain an active and ongoing investigations. Anyone with information regarding these three suspects or the above crimes is asked to visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, MD website at www.crimesolversmcmd.org and click on the “www.p3tips.com” link at the top of the page or call 1-866-411-8477.

Tips with information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a reward of $250 to $10,000. Tips may remain anonymous.