Baltimore Police have named a suspect more than two months after a gunman opened fire in the 5200 block of York Road, killing 38-year-old Asia Williams and wounding a 27-year-old man. Investigators say 24-year-old Dashawn Taylor is wanted in connection with the fatal shooting and should be considered armed and dangerous.
According to Baltimore Police, the shooting happened on June 23, 2026, and Taylor is now the department's Most Wanted suspect in the case. The shooting took place inside or directly outside Mega Tobacco & Convenience at 5211 York Road, near Notre Dame of Maryland University, with responding officers arriving around 10:49 p.m. after reports of gunfire, according to Ace News Today. Before Taylor was identified, police had released surveillance footage from three days after the shooting showing an armed man in a bright yellow safety vest, black sweatshirt, black pants and black shoes entering the store, the outlet reported.
Baltimore's Most Wanted
— Baltimore Police (@BaltimorePolice) September 1, 2026
Investigators are asking for the public’s help locating Baltimore’s Most Wanted suspect.
24-year-old Dashawn Taylor is wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of 38-year-old Asia Williams that occured on June 23, 2026, in the 5200 block of York… pic.twitter.com/J8Fo76Rkcc
Who Was Asia Williams
Williams was a 38-year-old Black transgender woman who worked as a retail manager and DoorDash driver and had just moved into a new home with her mother before her death, according to the Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents. She had celebrated her 38th birthday just over a week before she was killed. Early law enforcement records and news advisories listed her under the name Sean “Asia” Williams, a discrepancy that local advocacy groups have flagged as part of a broader pattern in how transgender homicide victims are formally identified in police and public records, per the same report.
It remains unclear whether investigators have established a motive or any connection between Taylor and the two victims, and whether the case is being reviewed under bias-crime protocols given Williams' gender identity. Those questions are unresolved in available reporting on the case.
A Corridor With a Violent Summer
The York Road commercial strip has seen a string of violent incidents this summer, including a triple stabbing near the Senator Theatre on June 28 and a non-fatal shooting in the 5300 block in August, according to Hoodline's reporting. Hoodline has also covered an arrest in a separate shooting along the same corridor, and residents and business owners have previously pushed for increased police patrols in the area.
Williams' killing came amid a citywide homicide count that, at the time of the shooting, stood at 47 for 2026 with 149 non-fatal shootings, a 25% drop from 63 homicides over the same period in 2025, according to CBS News. Non-fatal shootings had also fallen nearly 5% year-over-year, the outlet reported. Maryland has directed more than $50 million in public safety grants to Baltimore City, contributing to a 40% reduction in non-fatal shootings statewide between 2022 and 2025, per Hoodline.
Reward Money and How to Report Tips
Under a municipal program established by Mayor Brandon Scott, tips submitted through Metro Crime Stoppers in gun-related homicide cases can bring rewards of up to $8,000, compared with the standard $2,000 baseline, according to CBS News. The program added $100,000 in city funding specifically for gun violence rewards, the outlet reported.
Anyone with information on Taylor's whereabouts is urged to contact Baltimore Police homicide detectives directly at 410-396-2100, or submit an anonymous tip through the P3 Tips mobile app or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP, per the Baltimore Police Department. Police have warned the public not to approach or attempt to apprehend Taylor themselves.
What Taylor Could Face
If convicted of first-degree murder under Maryland Criminal Law Code Section 2-201, Taylor would face a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment, with or without the possibility of parole, according to FindLaw. Life without parole requires the state to file formal notice ahead of trial, per the same statute. No charges have been reported as filed against Taylor at this time; police describe him as wanted in connection with the shooting.
