On the evening of June 15, 2020, a violent encounter in Waldorf, Maryland, claimed the life of 34-year-old Kwasi Omatayo Louard-Clark and left two other men seriously injured. The tragic events began to unfold around 7:45 p.m. when a Charles County Sheriff's officer on patrol discovered a disabled vehicle near the intersection of Acton Lane and Western Parkway. Inside, the officer found two men, ages 39 and 25, suffering from gunshot wounds.
Both were flown to a hospital with serious injuries.
Simultaneously, a 911 call reported a shooting in the 2400 block of Shawnee Lane. Responding officers discovered Kwasi Louard-Clark deceased from apparent gunshot wounds. The investigation revealed that Louard-Clark and the two injured men had been together on Shawnee Lane when a suspect opened fire with a handgun. The two wounded individuals were able to flee in their car before stopping on Acton Lane.
The investigation into the shooting pointed to Richard Middleton, Jr., then 37, of Brandywine, as the suspect. Authorities learned that the violence stemmed from an earlier altercation between Middleton and Louard-Clark at a barbershop where Middleton was employed. Following the dispute, Louard-Clark returned to his home on Lancelot Drive, where his parents also resided. Shortly after, Middleton, armed with a gun, was dropped off in the neighborhood.
Middleton approached Louard-Clark's residence and began shooting at him and his two friends, Montreal Wade and Tyrone Coleman, who were outside. As the men tried to flee, Coleman was struck in the arm and stomach, and Wade was shot twice in the back. Louard-Clark, shot in the leg, sought refuge at a neighbor's home. Middleton followed, unlawfully entering the neighbor's house where children were present and threatening the homeowner with his gun. Louard-Clark then exited the house, pursued by Middleton. Despite pleading for his life, Louard-Clark was shot multiple times, including at close range to the head, in an attack witnessed by multiple people, including his parents.
Law enforcement officers, including a K-9 unit, tracked Middleton and located him nearby. He was found in possession of a loaded handgun and had sustained a head injury. Richard Middleton, Jr. was arrested without incident on the same day as the shooting. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and other related offenses. In June 2022, Middleton was found guilty of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, and a host of other charges. In November 2022, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 125 years.
