MPD/Work headshot Mike Gill (l) and the carjacking suspect (top right).
Artell Cunningham is the suspect accused in the carjacking and shooting of former Trump administration official Mike Gill, according to the attorney general of Maryland.
In a news release, the AG identified the suspect as “28-year-old Artell Cunningham of Suitland, Maryland.”
“Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating an overnight crime spree in Washington D.C. connected to one suspect,” the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington D.C. wrote in a press release.
NBC News reported that Gill was the wounded victim; another man, Alberto Vasquez, Jr., 35, was killed in the carjacking rampage, according to Fox5DC.
New Carrollton police in Maryland released a statement from the Office of the Attorney General that says the suspect was shot and killed by officers after he “displayed two handguns.”
Here’s what you need to know:
Mike Gill Was Chief of Staff to the Former U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chairman
Mike Gill is currently listed on his company’s website as “Senior Vice President, Capital Markets.” NBC News reported that Gill is in critical condition.
“Mike came to HPC from Common Securitization Solutions, the platform developed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for the issuance and administration of the Uniform Mortgage-Backed Security (UMBS). He has had a number of roles related to financial services in the private and public sector,” his biography says.
“Previously, he was Chief of Staff to Former U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) Chairman Christopher Giancarlo and was the Chief Operating Officer of the agency. In this role, he was responsible for policy development and coordination on major rule proposals including swap execution reform, cross-border CCP and swap dealer registrations, margin and capital requirements, LIBOR transition, and Brexit-related relief,” his bio reads.
“He represented the agency at the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Stability Oversight Council (“FSOC”) and at IOSCO board meetings. Prior to this, Mike was an attorney with Crowell & Moring, LLP, where the majority of his work was concentrated in the energy and financial services sectors. Mike also served on the staff of Sen. John Danforth (R-MO) and Rep. Paul Gillmor (R-OH).”
The bio adds: “Mike received his B.A. in Economics from the University of Dayton, a Masters degree from The Johns Hopkins University, and his J.D. from The Catholic University of America.”
“Mike is an amazing husband, father, friend and colleague,” family spokesperson Erica Richardson told NBC News in a statement. “His warmth and kindness have touched the lives of many, evident in the outpouring of love and support his family has received during this difficult time.”
A memorial grew for the man fatally shot, according to Fox5DC.
“Everyone always remembers AJ. Everyone always remembers him not matter what the scene was,” Vasquez’s mother Antoinette Walker said to the television station. “With the amount of carjackings and just instances of this magnitude, now it’s touched our doorstep. It’s not right.”
Artell Cunningham Is Accused in a Series of Carjackings
On January 29 at about 5:45 p.m. in the 900 block of K Street, Northwest, the suspect “approached an occupied vehicle while it was parked along the block,” police wrote.
“The suspect got inside the vehicle and shot the adult male driver, then exited the vehicle. The suspect fled on foot from the scene. The victim is receiving treatment at a local hospital for life-threatening injuries.” Police did not name this victim.
“Then, at approximately 7:05 p.m. the suspect attempted to carjack an individual driving a vehicle at the intersection of 5th and K Street, Northeast, but was unsuccessful. The victim fled the scene then notified police,” the police news release says.
Around 7:15 p.m., the suspect “approached a man and a woman by their car in the 300 block of N Street, Northeast, and demanded the keys,” the release says. “The suspect then shot the man and fled the scene in the victims’ vehicle. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he died. The victim has been identified as 35-year-old Alberto Vasquez Jr., of no fixed address. The vehicle was later located in Prince George’s County.”
Artell Cunningham Is Accused of Shooting at a Police Cruiser
According to police, the suspect “committed two additional carjackings in Prince George’s County. At approximately 3:00 a.m., while driving a carjacked vehicle on I-295 northbound, the suspect began shooting at a Sixth District cruiser, while it was driving, just before Exit 1. A round struck the cruiser, but the officer was not injured.”
At that time, “the suspect drove to the 7500 block of Annapolis Road in Prince George’s County where he had an interaction with members of the New Carrollton Police Department that led to an officer-involved shooting,” police wrote. “MPD continues to work with our regional law enforcement partners on this continuing investigation.”
According to the police news release:
There is no ongoing threat to the community. The Metropolitan Police Department extends our deepest thanks to our officers and detectives who are diligently working on this case, our law enforcement partners for their support, and our community members who shared tips, information, photos, and videos with our detectives overnight.
The New Carrollton Police Department also released the AG’s statement on January 30.
“The Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Maryland Office of the Attorney General is investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred in New Carrollton, Maryland, Tuesday morning,” it says.
On January 30, at about 4:35 a.m., officers with the New Carrollton Police Department “were on patrol in the 7500 block of Annapolis Road in New Carrollton when they observed a disabled SUV parked in the roadway,” it says.
“During the officers’ investigation, they learned that the SUV had been reported as a carjacked vehicle in another jurisdiction within Prince George’s County. Officers began searching the area for occupants of the vehicle when they were approached by an adult man walking,” the release says.
The release continues:
During the encounter, the man displayed two handguns, and two officers discharged their service weapons, striking the man. The man was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. No officers were injured.
IID Investigators are working with local law enforcement from the surrounding communities to gather information about events involving the decedent leading up to the officer-involved shooting.
The IID will generally release the name of the decedent and discharging officers within two business days of the incident, although that period may be extended if there is a specific reason to believe that an officer’s safety is at risk.
Officers on scene were equipped with body-worn cameras. If the shooting was captured on a body-worn camera, the IID will generally release the footage within 20 business days of an incident. There may be situations where more than 20 days is necessary, including if investigators need more time to complete witness interviews, if there are technical delays caused by the need to shield the identities of civilian witnesses, or to allow family members to view the video before it is released to the public.
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