March 8th, 2018 by WCBC Radio
On Wednesday, at approximately 12:09 PM, the Cumberland Police responded to the intersection of Arch and Third Streets for a report of several gunshots being fired. When Officers arrived they found several shell casings in the roadway, verifying that a shooting had occurred.
Officers began interviewing numerous witnesses and were able to locate and identify two victims, a 21 year old male and a 16 year old male, both from Cumberland. Neither victim was struck during the shooting.
A description of the suspect was obtained and broadcast to all responding Officers. An off-duty Cumberland Officer who was responding to the scene observed an individual matching the description of the suspect run into a private residence on Race Street. The residence was quickly surrounded by law enforcement and the individual, identified as 19 year old Michael Paul Ceasar, Jr., was arrested at that time on an outstanding, unrelated warrant from the State of Pennsylvania for parole violations.
The Allegany County Combined Criminal Investigation Unit (C3I) was contacted and Investigators responded to assist in the investigation.
Numerous interviews were conducted and surveillance video was reviewed. As a result, Investigators were able to identify Ceasar as the suspect involved in the earlier shooting incident. Additional interviews, and the search of a private residence, led to the recovery of the handgun believed used by the suspect.
Ceasar, formerly of Lewistown, Pennsylvania and currently of Cumberland, was charged with two counts each of Attempted 2nd Degree Murder, 1st Degree Assault, 2nd Degree Assault, the Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, and one count of a Prohibited Person in Possession of a Regulated Firearm. He is currently awaiting an initial appearance before a District Court Commissioner.
The Maryland State Police, the Allegany County Sheriff's Office, and the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police also responded to assist in the investigation.
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