On the late evening of Tuesday, January 9, 2024, an 18-year-old male, Olamide Olakanye of Upper Marlboro, was fatally shot in a violent encounter in Prince George's County. The incident unfolded at approximately 11:20 p.m. when police were dispatched to the 5300 block of Sheriff Road for reports of a shooting and a single-vehicle crash. Upon their arrival, officers discovered Olakanye inside a car, suffering from gunshot wounds.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention but unfortunately succumbed to his injuries a short time later.
Further investigation by the Prince George's County Police Department's Homicide Unit revealed that the initial shooting did not occur at the crash site. Detectives determined that Olakanye had been shot in the 1200 block of Dunbar Oaks Drive. After being wounded, he managed to drive away from the scene before crashing his vehicle in a wooded area along Sheriff Road. Authorities have stated that they do not believe this was a random act of violence.
As of early 2024, the investigation into Olamide Olakanye's death is ongoing. Detectives are actively working to establish a motive for the shooting and to identify any potential suspects. No arrests have been made, and no specific person of interest has been publicly named in connection with the homicide. A reward of up to $25,000 has been offered for any information that leads to an arrest and indictment in the case. Olakanye, who was also known as Stephen, was a senior at Charles Herbert Flowers High School and had plans to attend Towson University to study IT.
