Maryland State Police search for suspect in deadly College Park highway shooting
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Maryland State Police are asking for the public's help finding a suspect and vehicle wanted in connection with a deadly highway shooting in Prince George's County. Police released photos that they believe show the suspect and the car involved.
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Police say the car is a Hyundai Sonata.
Investigators say the incident happened Saturday afternoon along U.S. Route 50 near Veterans Parkway in College Park.
It started when a tow truck driver, later identified as 29-year-old Delonte Hicks, and the suspect got into a verbal fight while both were driving on Route 50. During the exchange of words, the suspect pulled out a gun and shot Hicks. The suspect then continued driving eastbound on Route 50 and fled the scene.
Hicks was taken to an area hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Investigators believe Hicks and the suspect did not know each other prior to the fight.
Hicks' family tells FOX 5 they are heartbroken over the loss of their loved one — who was a new dad.
Now they want answers. "His smile would just brighten up the room," said Kanika Hicks, Delonte Hicks’ cousin. "He was a go-getter, he was definitely going to work hard for his family."
Hicks was on his way to work. Now, his family and police now asking for help finding the person who shot him.
"They’re trying to figure out why," Hicks said. "They want answers. This was a senseless act that shouldn’t have occurred."
"You get up in the morning and kiss your family and your son and your kids and tell them you’ll be back later I’m going to work, and you don’t make it home. That’s the hardest thing," Delonte’s cousin said.
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Detectives say the only description they have of the suspect was that he was driving a dark-colored Hyundai Sonata and continued heading Eastbound on Route 50 after the shooting.
"We know it’s not a lot to go on but again think about where you were Saturday, if you were out on that road, if you saw something, maybe something didn’t seem right," said Ron Snyder, a spokesperson for Maryland State Police.
Detectives also called it a random event.
Snyder went on to say, "Two people who apparently didn’t know each other before Saturday are on the road at the same time an argument occurs, a gun is used and someone loses their life. Someone had to have seen something," Snyder said.
Delonte’s family is now left leaning on each other while pushing for answers.
"We’re just all going to be there for one another, and right now that’s all we can do is be there for his son and his family," Kanika Hicks said. "We are definitely hoping for justice so we can all be at peace with this. That’s what we want just peace."
Delonte’s family says they will have a memorial for him in the coming weeks.
Police are asking anyone who has any information on the shooting or the other driver to give them a call at 443-684-1216 or 410-977-9384