Crime
Second Teen Dies Following Double Shooting Near The Mall in Columbia
COLUMBIA, MD – A second teenager has died following a double shooting outside The Mall in Columbia, authorities announced on Saturday, March 1.
According to the Howard County Police Department, 15-year-old Blake McCray succumbed to his injuries after being critically wounded in the February 22 shooting.
Officers initially responded around 5:52 p.m. to reports of shots fired near the Lidl parking lot and bus loop in the 10300 block of Little Patuxent Parkway.
Upon arrival, police discovered two teenage victims suffering from gunshot wounds:
- 16-year-old Michael Robertson was pronounced dead at the scene. Robertson was a student at Wilde Lake High School.
- 15-year-old Blake McCray was transported to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in critical condition, where he later died from his injuries.
Investigators determined that the shooting took place at the stairway leading from the bus stop near Barnes & Noble to the Lidl parking lot.
Officers recovered two spent 9mm shell casings at the top of the stairs.
Howard County police arrested 18-year-old Emmetson Zeah, charging him with murder in connection with the double shooting.
Following McCray’s death, authorities confirmed charges against Zeah will be upgraded.
Police also revealed that Zeah was already on home detention at the time of the incident.
He was previously arrested in December and charged with attempted murder for a separate shooting that occurred just blocks from the mall on February 14.
Zeah is scheduled for a court hearing later this month, where prosecutors are expected to address new and existing charges against him.
This remains an active investigation, and authorities urge anyone with information to contact Howard County Police.
Crime
Former Texas Worship Minister and Christian Musician Jon Sheptock Arrested on Child Sexual Abuse Material Charges
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas — A married Christian musician and former worship minister who once performed at a rally for former President Donald Trump has been arrested on multiple child sexual abuse material (CSAM) charges, authorities confirmed.
According to officials, Jon Sheptock, a former minister at First Montgomery Baptist Church, was taken into custody on September 26 by detectives from the Montgomery County Constable’s Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Unit.
He faces charges of possession and production of child pornography following a detailed investigation into allegations of long-term misconduct.
The arrest was based on testimony from a woman who alleged that Sheptock stole a photograph of her approximately nine years ago, when she was 17 years old.
The victim told investigators that after sending her the image, Sheptock demanded explicit photographs and later sent her a video depicting a violent assault, warning that he “did not want that to happen to her.”
Court records further indicate that Sheptock showed the victim nude images of both adults and minors on his computer.
Investigators allege that the misconduct continued as recently as October 2023, when Sheptock reportedly sent a text message to the victim containing a nude image of young girls.
Before his arrest, Sheptock was widely known as a Christian recording artist and motivational speaker.
His now-deleted website biography stated that he was born without arms and with one leg shorter than the other, yet went on to describe himself as a “thriving Christian recording artist and speaker.” He has been married for 26 years and is the father of three daughters.
In a public statement, First Montgomery Baptist Church confirmed that Sheptock was immediately removed from all ministry responsibilities following his arrest.
The church emphasized that Sheptock did not hold any position involving direct contact with children, and there is no indication that minors associated with the church were involved or affected.
Sheptock gained wider public attention in January 2022, when he performed the national anthem at a rally for then-President Donald Trump, according to The Independent.
If convicted, Sheptock faces a potential prison sentence ranging from two to twenty years.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are encouraging anyone with additional information to contact the Montgomery County Constable’s Office Human Traffic.