Crime & Safety
Wife of Injured Officer Thanks Public for 'Love and Support'
Online fundraiser set up to help Adams family with expenses. Two suspects are in jail without bond on attempted murder, conspiracy charges.
The wife of an Anne Arundel County Police officer shot outside an Annapolis 7-Eleven store thanked the public for its support during their ordeal, while law enforcement officials on Monday shared details about the armed confrontation and a second arrest.
The officer, Corporal Larry Adams, underwent several surgeries on Friday at University of Maryland Shock Trauma in Baltimore, the department said, and has improved to serious condition. Adams is a 10-year veteran assigned to the Patrol Services Bureau in Eastern District.
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“Thank you everybody for your love, support, prayers,” said an emotional Ritu Adams at the press conference. “You never think this is going to happen to you. … We’re very, very touched by all of your love and your support and all the positive wishes and prayers. My kids thank you also.”
See also: Fundraising site for injured officer’s medical expenses
Find out what's happening in Annapolisfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
An online fundraising page set up to help the Adams family with expenses says he was shot in the neck.
Adams was shot in the upper body in an area that is not covered by his police vest, WTOP reports.
Adams and his wife have two young children. As of Monday afternoon, about $11,000 had been donated via the website.
Police spokesman Lt. T.J. Smith said officers on Friday arrested Colvin Lamar White, 30 of Annapolis, who was a suspect because of information Adams collected before he was shot.
White is being held at the Anne Arundel County Detention Center without bond on charges of attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and other charges.
On Sunday, police arrested Danielle Nicole Blake, 29, of Severn who was charged with conspiracy to commit attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, and four other charges, reports the Capital-Gazette. She is also being held without bond.
Smith said White and Blake have children together.
Chain of Events
Adams was shot about 2 a.m. Friday in the area of 720 College Parkway East. Officers went to the address to check on Adams when he failed to respond to his radio.
Police Chief Timothy Altomare said officer who work the midnight shift – including Adams – are instructed to stop in at businesses open around the clock, like the 7-Eleven store, because they’re robbery targets.
Adams saw a van near a BGE substation which may have broken down or could have contained possible metal thieves there to earn drug money, Smith said Monday. The officer entered the van’s tag number into his mobile data computer, then headed to the convenience store for a routine check on it and the store employees.
When he arrived at the 7-Eleven, Adams noticed a man standing by the side of building, went to talk to him, there was a confrontation and the man believed to be White ran off through some trees toward the van Adams had earlier checked on, Smith said. Witnesses at that point said they heard a couple of gunshots.
Even though he was critically injured, Adams told fellow officers about the tag number entered in his computer. Police believe Blake then drove away from the crime scene knowing an officer had been shot.
Investigators say the van was registered to Danielle Blake and police set up surveillance of her residence in Severn, where they ultimately arrested White.
‘Revolving Door of Justice’
County Executive Steve Schuh said he visited Cpl. Adams Monday morning. “He’s moving … he’s a little uncomfortable, but he is with us.”
Schuh criticized a lenient legal system – which he said is now in the past with new faces heading up the police department, state’s attorney’s office and on the bench – for allowing White to be on the street. The suspect served only a small portion of a five-year sentence for armed robbery, Schuh said, and was released because of an “overly lenient sentence.” When White violated the terms of his probation, a judge didn’t send him back to prison.
“The era of revolving door justice is over in this county,” Schuh said.
Chief Altomare said that even as his department waited for 16 hours to learn if Adams would survive his injuries, he trusted his officers to handle the case morally and professionally.
“Unless you’ve done this job, it’s hard to communicate the feeling you get when you pull up and see your brother or sister on the ground with blood all over them,” Altomare told the press.
He praised the skills of EMTs at the scene and hospital staffers, saying Adams is alive “because of the grace of God and the skills of the folks at Shock Trauma.”
The chief also praised the community for the hundreds of tips the department received, and for their prayers. And most important, he noted the strength of Ritu Adams during the tense wait for word in the hospital.
“I’d like to thank Ritu, who was stronger than us on Friday,” Altomare said. “She’s superhuman, a rock star.”
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Detective Jason Dipietro at 410-222-3415 or the Tip Line at 410-222-4700. Or contact Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP or Text “MCS plus your message” to CRIMES (274637).
»Photo of Corporal Larry Adams with his children from YouCaring.com fundraising page; photo of Ritu Adams from live press conference.
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