Stray Basketball May Have Led to Group Home Resident's Death

HYATTSVILLE, MD — A group home resident may have been fatally shot because he dropped a basketball and it hit the shooter’s vehicle, reports say as police continued Friday to hunt for the gunman.

Conrad Cole, 20, of Annapolis Road in Hyattsville died Wednesday afternoon during an outing by residents from a nearby group home, according to Prince George’s County Police.

The homicide happened in the 6900 block of Greenvale Parkway in Hyattsville.

A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest and indictment in this case.

Police say Cole was walking on 69th Place near Greenvale Parkway toward a basketball court when he was shot by a man who then sped away from the area.

The victim and his caretakers walked by the shooter’s car, Cole dropped a basketball he was carrying and it may have hit the suspects’ car, reports WUSA. That might have triggered an argument. Cole had trouble speaking clearly, which may have enraged the shooter, authorities said.

Police Chief Hank Stawinski said the crime is deeply disturbing and the shooter is a "dangerous person" who must be taken off the streets. The community isn’t safe if caregivers can’t take someone for an outing, the police chief said at a press conference Wednesday.

Authorities have not yet released the name of the victim or a description of the vehicle that the shooter fled in.

A person with the shooter was reportedly shocked by what happened and tried to help the victim. When that person heard police sirens, he ran away.

Stawinski appealed to the person who was trying to do the right thing to contact police.

“I’m asking you, and if this person has reached out to you and told you this story, reach out to us, you’re not directly accountable for this but you know what happened,” Stawinski said at a press conference. “We’re not going to rest until this person is in custody. This is senseless, this is pointless."

Cole was part of a local go-go band called HEB (High Expectations Band) for about a year, The Washington Post reports.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 301-772-4925.

Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477), text “PGPD plus your message” to CRIMES (274637) on your cell phone.