Crime & Safety
13-Year-Old's Suspected Killer Flees Georgia, Spotted In Harford County
An armed and dangerous suspect in a 13-year-old's shooting death fled Georgia and was found in Harford County but escaped agents, FBI said.
HARFORD COUNTY, MD — Authorities are searching for a Maryland native wanted for the murder of a 13-year-old Georgia boy. The suspect was last seen in Edgewood and engaged in a car chase with police, but escaped.
Gregory Thornton, 30, has been named as the suspect in the March 28 shooting death of Buddy Brown Jr. in Augusta. The fatal shooting happened in the 700 block of Broad Street while Buddy was waiting outside his apartment for a DoorDash delivery.
“It doesn’t make sense. It don’t,” Buddy Brown’s father, Buddy Brown Sr. told WBFF.
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Brown Sr. said his son went to the front of their apartment complex to retrieve his food order. Brown received a phone call that his son had been shot.
“He told me my son is lying down here dead. I threw my phone down and ran down there. When I looked my son was lying down there and I went out,” Brown Sr. said.
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Buddy's family shared with WBFF that he loved spending time with family, playing games and reading books.
Authorities tracked Thornton to an apartment in Edgewood April 18 but as federal agents moved in, he escaped in a black 2013 Chevy Camaro with white racing stripes and a temporary Maryland tag T1230568, according to the Richmond County Sheriff's Office. Officials believe Thornton is accompanied by his girlfriend.
Thornton drove directly at an officer then led officials in a high speed chase.
“The subject was driving at such a high rate of speed that it presented an imminent threat, danger to public safety. Consequently officers made the decision to call it off,” Al Maresca, Deputy Marshal with the US Marshals Service, told WBFF. “Not only do we believe he’s armed and dangerous but also that he’s capable of great violence."
Thornton stands 5'9 and weighs 175 pounds with brown eyes and black hair. He is considered armed and dangerous. Thornton has tattoos on his forehead and neck.
Anyone with information regarding Thornton's whereabouts is asked to contact federal agents at 1-877-WANTED-2 or 202-819-5058.
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