CHESTERTOWN — Two Kent County teenagers are being held without bond on charges that include use of a firearm in the commission of a felony or violent crime following gunfire Thursday afternoon, Jan. 22 in the upper reaches of High Street.
One of the teens, identified by police as 17-year-old Mehki Jordan Bordley-Reeves of Chestertown, is charged as an adult despite his age.
The other accused is Mehki Terrence Jenkins, 19, of Kennedyville.
They are charged with first- and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and having a loaded handgun — in addition to use of a firearm in the commission of a felony or violent crime.
Additionally, Bordley-Reeves is charged with three counts of attempted second-degree murder.
During a bail review Friday in the District Court for Kent County, Bordley-Reeves was remanded to the custody of the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services for incarceration.
Jenkins continued to be held in the Kent County Detention Center.
He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Feb. 13; at that time a judge will determine if there is probable cause to believe that Jenkins committed the offenses.
According to the charging document, at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Sgt. Chris Schwink and Patrol Officer Karyn Harris of the Chestertown Police Department responded to the 100-block of Elmer Hawkins Drive for a report of shots fired. Upon arrival, the officers located a victim found nearby, in the area of North Lynchburg Street and Calvert Street.
The victim, identified as a 21-year-old man from the Chestertown area, reported that he was attacked by three people — Bordley-Reeves, Jenkins and a resident of the Hawkins Drive apartment. He said he was struck in the head multiple times with a handgun and punched in the face.
According to police, a witness reported that Jenkins initially pointed the gun at the victim, and then Bordley-Reeves took possession of the gun and fled out a back window.
The victim was able to get away and was outside the residence, with two acquaintances, when Bordley-Reeves came out from behind the residence and allegedly began shooting at all three of them, according to the charging document.
The victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment of injuries that included lacerations and swelling, according to a Chestertown Police Department news release.
There were no reports of anyone being injured by gunfire.
Bordley-Reeves and Jenkins fled the scene but were located a short time later in Bordley-Reeves’ home in the 400-block of Calvert Street. They were taken into custody uneventfully.
Subsequently, police served a court-ordered search and seizure warrant at Bordley-Reeves’ residence on Calvert Street, where several pieces of evidence were collected that connected Bordley-Reeves and Jenkins to the incident, CPD Chief Ron Dixon told The Evening Enterprise.
Dixon said the gun was not recovered, and the owner of the gun has not been determined.
Based on shell casings collected at the scene, police believe the gun is a 9 mm pistol.
Dixon said police can account for seven shots fired.
“Multiple empty shell casings were recovered by Chestertown PD in the area of the rear of the residence at 100 Elmer Hawkins Dr., confirming that a handgun was actually used and loaded at the time of the incident …,” the charging document states.
Two nearby residences in the 700-block of High Street were struck by gunfire; evidence was collected from both residences when they were processed by police.
According to CPD Chief Dixon, at least one of the High Street residences was occupied when shots were fired.
Brief shelter-in-place notices were issued at H.H. Garnet Elementary School in the 300-block of Calvert Street and Washington College.
Kent County Public Schools had an early dismissal on Thursday so there were only staff and a few students in Garnet Elementary School at the time of the gunfire.
Dixon estimated that 15 to 20 sworn law enforcement personnel responded to the scene from multiple agencies that included the Chestertown Police Department, Kent County Sheriff’s Office, Kent County Narcotics Task Force, Queen Anne’s County Sheriff’s Office, Maryland State Police-Centreville Barrack and the Maryland State Police Crime Lab.
Also assisting were the Kent County Office of Emergency Services, Kent-Queen Anne’s Rescue Squad and Chestertown Volunteer Fire Company.
Lt. Steve Linz of the CPD had command of the scene, which was cleared by about 4 p.m.
The investigation, led by Sgt. Schwink, is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call CPD at 410-778-1800.
