A police investigation is underway after a Washington County Circuit Court judge was shot and killed on his driveway at his home in the northern Maryland city of Hagerstown.
“Judge Andrew Wilkinson was allegedly killed at his home, according to sources,” ABC 7 reports.
SHOOTING, PROBABLY FATAL, AT THE RESIDENCE OF A PROMINENT PERSON— 19100 blk Olde Waterford Rd in Hagerstown. pic.twitter.com/0dHZv0Hr53
— Alan Henney (@alanhenney) October 20, 2023
Authorities have now been dispatched to protect other judges in the state.
Deputies responded to the shooting at around 8 pm and found Wilkinson suffering from gunshot wounds on his driveway, sheriff’s office said.
Washington County Sheriff's Office is on the scene for a very serious incident happened at Olde Waterford Road, north of Hagerstown, our Hagerstown reporter, Steven Cohen is on the scene to work on details.
— Anthony Deng (@anthonyhdmedia) October 20, 2023
Pic from Steven Cohen. pic.twitter.com/Otk8bfkjF9
CNN reported:
The judge was taken to a medical facility, where he died, according to the sheriff’s office. CNN has reached out to the Maryland State Police for more information.
Maryland State Police troopers have been “dispatched to protect other judges,” CNN affiliate WJLA reported.
It said the sheriff’s office plans to hold a news conference to share more details about the ongoing investigation.
Born in Agana, Guam, Wilkinson had been an associate judge for the Washington County Circuit Court since January 2020, according to his court biography.
He was a well-liked and respected member of the community with “a contagious smile,” wrote Neil C. Parrott, a former delegate in the Maryland House of Delegates.
Horrible news in Washington County tonight. It appears that Judge Andrew Wilkinson was shot multiple times and has passed away. Police are actively searching for the murderer. Please pray for our police and for Judge Wilkinson's family at this time. https://t.co/aUbdagfkd0
— Neil Parrott (R-MD) (@neilparrott) October 20, 2023
“Judge Wilkinson was an exceptional judge and was a pillar in our community,” Parrott said in a statement.
“The events tonight are catastrophic for Washington County, for Maryland, and for our justice system. Judge Wilkinson served faithfully and will be severely missed.”
As The Daily Mail noted, Born in Guam in 1971, he previously served as an assistant county attorney in Washington County from 2006 to 2012.
He also served as a member of the State Board of Law Examiners’ Character Committee from 2006 to 2019.
“Horrible news in Washington County tonight,” Neil Parrott, who represents Washington County, wrote on X.
“It appears that Judge Andrew Wilkinson was shot multiple times and has passed away. Police are actively searching for the murderer.”
“Please pray for our police and for Judge Wilkinson’s family at this time.”
“We are a courthouse of six judges,” Administrative Judge Brett R. Wilson, a colleague, told the New York Times.
‘We all know each other very well.”
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