NEWS RELEASE: Police formally charge Stephon Prather in shooting of officer Howard county police have formally charged Stephon Prather with attempted murder in the shooting of Officer Steven Houk Oct. 23. Prather was taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center with a gunshot wound to the leg Thursday morning after a 17-hour manhunt to locate him. Police found Prather walking along Washington Blvd. around 8:45 a.m. They confronted him and he surrendered. Investigators believe he sustained the leg injury in a shoot out with police the day before. Police received a call Wednesday shortly after 4 p.m. from an employee at AutoMax in the 9500 block of Washington Blvd. The caller reported that a man, later identified as Prather, came into the business and asked to test drive a car. The employee said the man was acting very suspiciously and kept his hand inside his pocket. The employee requested the man’s driver’s license, which displayed the name Stephon Prather, and made a photocopy. The employee reported he feared he was about to a victim of an armed robbery and he called 911. He told the dispatcher he saw “the handle of a gun in the man’s jacket.” One officer responded and confronted Prather outside of the business. He refused to take his hand out of his pocket, despite commands from the officer to do so. Two additional officers responded. When they arrived they also confronted Prather, who had run into the middle of Washington Blvd. Prather immediately opened fire, striking Officer Houk. The officers returned fire and Prather ran into a nearby wooded area. Throughout the night, hundreds of officers from throughout the region conducted a widespread search using aviation, K-9 and foot patrol units. Prather came out of hiding and surrendered in the morning. Police later located his gun in a storm drain in the woods, where they believe he may have hidden throughout the night. He was discharged late last night from Shock Trauma and was charged today with numerous counts of attempted murder, assault, reckless endangerment and gun charges. He is being held at the Howard County Detention Center on no bond. Officer Houk’s condition continues to improve. He remains in serious, but stable condition at Shock Trauma. ###
Posted on: Fri, 25 Oct 2013 18:07:51 +0000