In the late summer of 2017, the life of 36-year-old Michael Covert, a male resident of Annapolis, Maryland, was cut short in a burst of violence. On the evening of September 20th, in the Eastport neighborhood of the city, Covert was on Medgar Evers Street when he was shot. He was not the only person targeted in the incident; a 41-year-old woman, Lashira Addison, was also wounded, suffering a gunshot to her foot. Both victims were rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention.
While Addison's injuries were not life-threatening and she was released shortly after, Covert succumbed to his severe injuries the following day, on September 21, 2017.
The investigation into the shooting quickly focused on identifying a suspect. Law enforcement officials utilized security camera footage from the area, which proved to be a critical piece of evidence. The footage captured a man, later identified as 25-year-old Barnabas Offer Jr. of Edgewater, confronting Covert and Addison near the Eastport Terrace apartment complex. In the video, Offer is seen emerging from an apartment, walking around a community recreation center, and then opening fire on the two victims. After the shooting, he was seen holding the gun and meeting with another man. This visual evidence was instrumental in leading the police to their primary suspect.
Following the identification of Offer as the alleged shooter, a significant police operation was launched to apprehend him. Investigators tracked him to a residence in Edgewater, which led to a tense standoff that lasted for nearly seven hours. Ultimately, Offer was taken into custody by the Annapolis Police Department. Initially, he faced a litany of charges, including attempted first and second-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and illegal possession of a handgun. With Michael Covert's death, the charges against Offer were upgraded to include murder.
In connection with the broader investigation, two other men, Delvonta Ellis Wright and Craig Belt, were also arrested. They were discovered in an apartment with a loaded, stolen handgun and subsequently faced charges of burglary and weapons offenses. The collaborative efforts of the Annapolis Police Department and the Anne Arundel County State's Attorney's Office were highlighted by officials as a key component in the swift arrests made in the case. Covert was remembered as a long-time employee of a local establishment, Chick & Ruth's Delly.
