Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge John Addison Howard sentenced 44-year-old Owen Michael Tonkins III to five years imprisonment on Aug. 21 after Owen pleaded guilty to firing 40 rounds of ammunition at a school building.
Owen was originally charged with two counts of handgun on person and a single count of discharging a gun, pistol, and firearm within the limits of Baltimore City.
According to court documents, On July 6, 2025, police responded to the 2800 block of Harford Road for a ShotSpotter alert. Officers found more than 40 cartridge casings at the REACH! Partnership School located on the 2500 block of Harford Road. No victims were reported. On Sept. 7, 2025, officers responded to a dwelling on the 1700 block of Homestead Street in reference to an armed person’s call for service.
As officers approached, they observed two black handguns on the porch and within arms reach of a man identified as the defendant. Tonkins was arrested and allegedly stated that he did not have a valid carry permit but had a lesser credential.
A ballistics investigation revealed that the casings found on the scene were consistent with Tonkins’ handguns that were recovered onSept. 7, 2025.
Judge Howard sentenced him to five years suspending all but one year with three years of supervised probation.
