A quiet Rodgers Forge block is now at the center of a high-stakes courtroom fight, as two teens accused of shooting and critically injuring a Towson man outside his home returned to Baltimore County court yesterday. Prosecutors used the hearing to walk the judge through surveillance and phone evidence they hope to show a jury, tying the alleyway attack to an alleged MTA bus robbery two days earlier.
In court, prosecutors played security footage from Sept. 13, 2024, that they say shows a person in a distinctive black sweatshirt and face mask approaching the victim in an alley behind Dunkirk Avenue while armed with a semi-automatic handgun fitted with a laser. A struggle follows, and the victim is shot and taken to a hospital in critical condition, according to WBAL NewsRadio. The defendants, who were 15 and 16 when they were arrested, sat side by side at the defense table as their attorneys watched the footage.
Prosecutors Lay Out Video Trail They Say Ties Teens To Shooting
Prosecutors allege Kai Wilson pulled the trigger and that Kamar Thompson was behind the wheel of the getaway car. In court, they played a video that they say shows the pair getting out of a white SUV on North Lakewood Street in East Baltimore, less than seven miles from the Towson shooting scene.
Indoor surveillance video from a home allegedly shows Thompson reaching into a bag and pulling out the handgun prosecutors say was later used in the Rodgers Forge shooting. Investigators also say they recovered photos from Wilson’s cell phone that they contend are tied to the case, as reported by WBAL-TV. Defense attorneys reviewed the material separately during the hearing.
The judge ruled that a portion of an MTA bus security video recorded two days before the shooting can be used at trial. Prosecutors say that the clip shows the same two teens boarding, with Wilson wearing the same sweatshirt and Thompson carrying the same bag seen in other footage. The judge said he will rule soon on whether to admit the disputed cell-phone photos and in-home security video as evidence, according to WBAL NewsRadio.
Serious Charges, Adult Court Stakes
Both defendants are charged as adults with attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault, armed robbery, and multiple firearm offenses. The case is edging closer to trial as the court sorts out what evidence jurors will be allowed to see.
In earlier hearings, the judge ordered the 16-year-old held without bail, citing concerns that he poses a public-safety risk, as detailed by WBAL-TV.
What Comes Next
The judge’s upcoming decision on the cell-phone and home surveillance evidence could significantly shape the contours of any future trial, determining how much of the prosecution’s video trail makes it in front of a jury. While that ruling is pending, prosecutors and defense lawyers are expected to keep grinding through pretrial prep ahead of the next court date.
