Attackers Watched Beating Victim Crawl To Road, Die: Police

SILVER SPRING, MD — Two people were arrested for allegedly beating and robbing a man before he was fatally struck by two cars in Silver Spring in the early hours of June 8, authorities say.

Gregory Jonathan Atwood, 40, of Silver Spring was killed at about 3:50 a.m. at the intersection of Georgia Avenue at Hewitt Avenue. Arriving officers found him dead in the southbound lanes of Georgia Avenue. Police say three suspects beat and robbed Atwood before he was struck and killed by two separate vehicles. Detectives are still searching for the drivers.

The accused assailants are Mohammed Salous, 17, and Kenneth Sahr Kpakima, 21. A 15-year-old girl has been identified as a suspect in the attack, but she has not been charged at this time, police said.

The suspects allegedly stole Atwood's backpack and forced him to a ravine on the side of the road, where they beat him with sticks and knocked him unconscious, Assistant State’s Attorney Mark Anderson said in court, as reported by The Washington Post.

After the assault, Atwood struggled to make it back to the road. The suspects "watched him get run over by a car" and did nothing to help him, Anderson said.

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Police believe Atwood was struck by two cars. One of the involved vehicles is possibly a 2011 Chrysler 200 or a 2011 Dodge Avenger, police said. The second vehicle is believed to be a light-colored Dodge Durango.

“Mr. Atwood was dead. And they left him,” Anderson told the court.

Salous was charged as an adult with assault-related offenses, police said. Kpakima was charged with assault and armed robbery offenses. Both suspects are being held without bond.

"There is considerable vehicle and foot traffic in the area of Georgia Avenue at Hewitt Avenue, even at the time when this robbery and subsequent hit and run collision occurred," police said in a statement. "CRU Investigators are urging anyone who may have witnessed this collision, who were in the area around the time of this collision, saw something suspicious, or may have any information about this collision, to please call the 4th District Police Station at 240-773-6620. Callers may remain anonymous."

(Photo of Kenneth Sahr Kpakima via MCPD. A photo of Salous will not be released due to his age.)