MCPD

Per MCPD: Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – Major Crimes Division are investigating a commercial armed robbery that occurred on Wednesday, June 14, 2023, at the Tobacco Cloud store in the 11300 block of Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring. Detectives have released surveillance photos of the male suspect and are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying him. At approximately 10:50 a.m., 4th District officers responded to the location for the report of a commercial armed robbery.

The investigation by detectives has revealed that the suspect entered the store and approached an employee who was working behind the counter. The suspect then threatened the employee with a handgun that he had allegedly concealed on his waistband and demanded money. The employee handed over an undisclosed amount of money from the cash register to the suspect who then exited the store and left the scene.

According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, “In the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, before the Honorable Christopher Fogleman, a jury has found defendant, Gary Savage, 60, of Tampa, FL, guilty of Attempted First-Degree Murder, Voluntary Manslaughter, and two counts of Use of a Firearm in Commission of a Crime of Violence.

This stems from an incident on September 3^rd, 2021. The defendant drove from where he was living in Tampa, FL to the home of his estranged wife on Baileys Court in Silver Spring, MD. When Savage arrived, his estranged wife and her boyfriend, 44-year-old Whali Shabazz, were getting into a vehicle. Text messages that were admitted into evidence showed Savage knew the two victims were together and expected Shabaz to be there when he arrived. Savage opened fire on both of them, killing Shabaz and continuing to shoot at his estranged wife while she took cover behind another vehicle. She was not injured.