Reception Court Hearing in Double Shooting, Homicide

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A reception court hearing was held Aug. 8 before Judge Melissa K. Copeland in the case of Darren Tomlinson, 31, who is charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault, and multiple other gun-related offenses. That in connection to a Jan. 19 double shooting that occurred in the 400 block of Washburn Avenue and left one man dead and another injured.

Police responded around 8:42 a.m. to 4th Street and Washburn Avenue for a shooting and located a Dodge Ram truck on the 500 block of Washburn Avenue. Michael Keener, 35, was found outside the vehicle’s passenger side suffering from gunshot wounds, while the driver, Hassan Howard, 43, was unresponsive nearby. Both were transported to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where Howard was pronounced dead from gunshot wounds to his arm, chest and neck.

Investigators determined two suspects approached the truck on foot, opened fire and fled in a dark-colored Hyundai Kona. Surveillance footage and license plate reader data led detectives to identify Darren Tomlinson and his brother, Dylon, as the suspects.

During Friday’s hearing, the prosecution’s previous plea offer was rejected. The evidence discovery process is nearly complete, with the only pending matters an FBI report and defense counsel’s access to certain videos on a hard drive.

Judge Copeland scheduled Tomlinson’s next court date for Nov. 18, beyond the defendant’s speedy trial deadline of Nov. 15, citing likely delays that could push the trial into 2026.