2 Arrested On Murder Charges In Silver Spring Park Shootings

SILVER SPRING, MD — Two people are in custody on murder charges after a shooting Friday night in Long Branch Local Park in Silver Spring killed a 17-year-old and injured a man who remains hospitalized, authorities said.

According to Montgomery County police, a 911 caller reported he had been shot in the 700 block of Langley Drive around 9:45 p.m. for a report of shots fired. Officers found two victims near the rear of the basketball court by the playground suffering from gunshot wounds.

Montgomery County Department of Police 3rd District officers and Maryland-National Capital Park Police found two males in the park suffering from gunshot wounds. One of the victims, a 21-year-old, was taken to an area hospital and remains in critical condition. Police have not released his name.

The second victim, identified as 17-year-old Charly Blayner Vail Lucas of Silver Spring, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Detectives determined the shooting was possibly connected to a homicide on Aug. 19, when 17-year-old Jaril Verde Murillo was shot and killed on University Boulevard East, according to a police news release.

While investigators were at the Long Branch shooting, detectives executed a search warrant at the Silver Spring residence of 20-year-old Jhony Steve Rosales Castillo on 11th Avenue. The warrant, executed with the assistance of SWAT on Saturday, led to the arrest of Rosales Castillo and 18-year-old Juan Carlos Gutierrez-Hernandez.

Firearms and additional evidence linking the suspects to both homicides were seized inside the residence, police said.

Both Rosales Castillo and Gutierrez-Hernandez were taken to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit, where they have been charged with two counts of first-degree murder of a minor victim, one count of attempted first-degree murder, and two counts of possession of a firearm under the age of 21.

They are being held pending a bond hearing scheduled for Sept. 8.