Per the Maryland Attorney General’s Office: The Independent Investigations Division of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General has identified the decedent and involved officer in the fatal shooting that occurred on July 22, 2023, in Montgomery County. The decedent has been identified as 19-year-old Franklin Castro Ordonez of Gaithersburg, Maryland.
The involved Montgomery County Police Officer has been identified as Officer Justin Lee. Officer Lee has been with the department for one-and-a-half years and is assigned to the Patrol Services Bureau. Per MCPD:
A male suspected of stabbing four people was shot and killed by a Montgomery County Police officer late Saturday morning. At approximately 10:36 a.m., on Saturday, July 22, 2023, Montgomery County Department of Police 4th District officers were dispatched to the Unique Thrift Store, located in the 12200 block of Veirs Mill Road, after receiving multiple calls for a stabbing that just occurred. Upon arrival, officers located an adult female suffering from apparent stab wounds.
At approximately 10:37 a.m., a second caller reported that two other women had been stabbed near the 4100 block of Colie Drive. Officers responded to that location and found the two wounded victims, along with an adult male with superficial injuries. Two of the three female victims were transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The third is listed in critical condition. The adult male was not transported.
Officers received a description and placed a lookout for the suspect, who was located at approximately 10:47 a.m., in the 4300 block of Havard Street holding a large butcher’s knife. The suspect did not comply with commands from officers to drop the knife and lunged towards the officer, resulting in the officer shooting the suspect. Officers rendered aid to the suspect, however he was pronounced dead at the scene.The Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division responded to the location and will be investigating the stabbings.
Per Maryland law, the shooting investigation has been handed over to the Office of the Attorney General’s Independent Investigation Division (IID). All media inquiries regarding the shooting should be directed to the IID.