Suspect in deadly MGM casino shooting in Maryland held without bail
The suspect charged in the deadly shooting of a man inside the MGM National Harbor casino in Maryland is being held without bail, Prince George's County State's Attorney Tara Jackson announced Friday.
Benjamin Williams, 22, from Fort Washington, was arrested at his home on Thursday and charged with first and second-degree murder, assault, and numerous gun charges in Wednesday's shooting.
The shooting happened around noon in the food court of the MGM National Harbor Casino. Prince George's County Police said that they arrived on scene to find the victim, 23-year-old Darnell Hawkins Jr., of Washington, D.C., dead. Hawkins was ordering food at the time when Williams allegedly approached and began shooting at him, according to police.
"It appeared that they were looking for this person, chased him down, and the shooting occurred right there in the food court," Prince George's County Police Chief George Nader said.
Nobody else was hurt. A motive has not been revealed, though investigators said they believe that the shooting "wasn't random" and that Williams and Hawkins knew each other.
Surveillance video was crucial in the arrest of Williams, according to police.
"There's almost no areas in MGM that are not covered by video, and that was instrumental in bringing this case to a swift close," police Chief Nader said Thursday.
MGM National Harbor is in Oxon Hill, about 45 miles southwest of Baltimore and 10 miles south of Washington, D.C.