A man is dead after he was found with stab wounds on a Wheaton sidewalk early Monday, in a case that Montgomery County police are still trying to piece together. Officers received a report of a stabbing just after midnight in the 11300 block of Elkin Street and arrived to find the victim suffering from his injuries, with his identity and the circumstances that led to the attack still unknown.
According to NBC Washington, officers found the man on the sidewalk after the midnight report came in, and the outlet reported he was pronounced dead at the scene. WTOP, however, reported that he was located by police and later died of his injuries, leaving conflicting accounts of exactly when he was pronounced dead. His name had not been released as of NBC Washington's report, and WTOP reported that police said it would be made public only after family members have been notified.
Police are still working to learn what led up to the stabbing, according to DC News Now. NBC Washington's report noted that it was not immediately clear how many suspects, if any, were involved, while the station said investigators were still determining what triggered the attack. WTOP's account added that no suspect information had been released and that no arrests had been announced as the investigation continued.
Scene Cordoned Off as Evidence Collected
Officers cordoned off the intersection near Elkin Street along with a large part of the surrounding area as they worked to collect evidence, the station's report noted. The scope of the closure suggests investigators were working methodically through the overnight hours to piece together what happened before officers arrived.
The stabbing marks a grim milestone for the Wheaton community. Bethesda Magazine reported that this was the second fatal stabbing in the Wheaton area within a week, and that it marked the 13th homicide recorded in Montgomery County so far this year.
Second Knife Death in Area Within Days
Just days earlier, on Oct. 26, Bethesda Magazine reported that a 25-year-old man was fatally stabbed in the chest behind the H Mart grocery store, and that a Rockville man was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in that case. The back-to-back incidents have left investigators managing two separate homicide cases in the same stretch of Montgomery County within the span of a week.
No further updates on the Elkin Street case — including the victim's identity, a motive, or any suspect in custody — had been released as of the latest reporting. Montgomery County police have not issued a public statement beyond what has been relayed to local outlets, and the investigation remains open.
