Thread: MD:Illegal Alien Shooter Recently Cited for Carrying Weapon

Illegal immigrant shooter recently cited for carrying a concealed weapon

By Freeman Klopott
Examiner Staff Writer 11/10/08

Just weeks before police say an illegal immigrant and alleged MS-13 gang member shot and killed a 14-year-old Silver Spring boy, the 20-year-old man was charged with concealing a dangerous weapon by a Montgomery County police officer, court records show.

The citation was issued on Oct. 3, a little less than a month before police say Hector Hernandez — an El Salvadoran illegal immigrant living in Takoma Park — opened fire on a Montgomery County bus, killing Tai Lam and wounding two other teens, ages 14 and 15.

Herrnandez was with four or five other alleged gang members when he got on the bus in Silver Spring, police said. Other arrests are likely.

The two groups got into an argument on the bus and, as Hernandez was exiting near Piney Branch Road and Arliss Street, he pulled out a handgun and started shooting, police said.

The limited records available on the Internet do not say if Hernandez was taken into custody for hiding the weapon on Oct. 3.

Police spokesman Lt. Paul Starks said the charge implies the weapon was not a gun, but possibly a knife or nunchucks, and the officer who issued the citation would not necessarily have brought Hernandez to jail.

This marks the second time in less than two years an illegal immigrant with possible MS-13 gang ties has slipped through the fingers of Montgomery County officials and gone on to commit another crime.

In July 2007, police had Milton Calderon-Melendez, an MS-13 gang member and El Salvadoran illegal immigrant, in custody on assault charges and then released him on bail.

A month later, he was charged with nearly stabbing a Gaithersburg man to death, but by then he had already left town.

Calderon-Melendez was caught in March by Prince William County police who have a policy of checking immigration status of people they arrest.

Brad Botwin, founder of anti-illegal immigration group Help Save Maryland, said Montgomery County’s policy of not closely checking immigration status is making the county a dangerous place to live.

“Here again is another example of people living in Maryland not being protected by the police,â€

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In July 2007, police had Milton Calderon-Melendez, an MS-13 gang member and El Salvadoran illegal immigrant, in custody on assault charges and then released him on bail.

A month later, he was charged with nearly stabbing a Gaithersburg man to death, but by then he had already left town.

Calderon-Melendez was caught in March by Prince William County police who have a policy of checking immigration status of people they arrest. "

It works ( checking immigration status), and it needs to be done in a whole lot MORE places to keep legal residents safe!