A Baltimore City Police sergeant testified to finding two blood trails outside Howard Discount Liquors last September when attempted homicide defendant Guy Thomas allegedly shot another man who returned fire and injured the defendant during an attempted robbery in Downtown Baltimore.
Thomas opted for a bench trial on Aug. 27 before Circuit Court Judge Cynthia H. Jones after he was unable to obtain dress clothes for his anticipated jury trial. The 36-year-old defendant chose to dismiss his defense counsel, Andre Mahasa, who was reported ill earlier this week, and is representing himself.
The sergeant — who was a patrol officer at the time of the crime on Sept. 1, 2025 — testified that he was called to the unit block of N. Howard Street for a reported shooting. As the prosecutor played the sergeant’s body camera footage of his arrival, a bystander is heard yelling, “I don’t know. They started shooting.”
The footage corroborated the witness’ earlier testimony that no one came up to him when he arrived nor knew any information about the crime.
A blood trail led the sergeant to the victim who was found around the corner on Howard Street, suffering from a gunshot wound to his left leg. The witness said he rendered aid to the victim before continuing to assess the crime scene; however, a second blood trail was found going in another direction from the victim’s location.
“People were saying they heard gunshots and [the defendant] went that way,” the sergeant said, indicating a different direction from the victim.
In addition to suspected blood, the witness noted that casings and a cell phone were also recovered. Photos of suspected blood were later admitted into evidence during a police crime lab technician’s testimony, who said that three swabs of suspected blood were taken.
During a brief opening statement, the prosecutor said the victim was shot in his left leg, while the defendant was shot on top of his left foot.
“You’ll see the defendant has no ties to this location at all,” Thomas said in his opening statement.
Testimony was expected to resume Thursday afternoon.
