METRO POLICE BEAT / Mental Patient Tariq Kirkland charged with armed commandeering of Metro bus

  • MECHANICS WANTED

METRO POLICE BEAT / Mental Patient Tariq Kirkland charged with armed commandeering of Metro bus

Tariq Kirkland charged with armed commandeering of Metro Bus in New Carrolton, Md. on April 11, 2018
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Spent Seven Years in Maryland Mental Institution for Assault on Metro

Another Maryland criminal justice system success story. Kirkland spent seven years in a mental institution for a prior assault on Metro. Is he nuts or just too stupid to know how to drive a bus; maybe they’ll let him take an online course for a CDL while in prison or show him how to drive other criminals in the state bus from the outpatient facility to visit a mall for shoplifting excursions.

NEW CARROLTON, MD. – METRO Police are reporting that a 38-year-old man is in custody after an attempted armed “bus-jacking” of a Metrobus this evening at the intersection of Riverdale Road and Annapolis Road in New Carrollton.

 

The suspect, identified as Tariq Kirkland, boarded the F4 Metrobus in the 7700-block of Riverdale Road and brandished a knife in an attempt to rob a passenger.

 

Upon hearing the commotion from the rear of the bus, the Metrobus operator pulled over, secured the bus, and notified the Bus Operations Control Center to initiate an emergency response.

 

At that time, the suspect began to walk toward the front of the bus brandishing the knife and ordered the driver and 16 passengers to exit the bus. The suspect then sat in the driver’s seat in an attempt to take control of the bus. However, the bus did not move because it is equipped with a security feature that prevents an unauthorized person from taking control.

 

After exiting the bus, the operator flagged down a passing Prince George’s County Police officer, who detained the suspect until Metro Transit Police arrived on scene.

 

There were no injuries, say police.

 

Kirkland is expected to face charges of attempted armed carjacking, attempted robbery, and first-degree assault.

 

Kirkland was found guilty of assault but was held not criminally responsible in Prince Georges Circuit Court for two counts of assault on Aug. 20, 2004.  The assaults were charged by Metro Police. Kirkland was sent to Crownsville State Mental Hospital for evaluation.

 

Kirkland was committed to Spring Grove State Hospital.

 

On Oct. 6, 2008, the State of Maryland had custody of Kirkland once again extended the conditional release for “an additional term of two years to expire on November 10, 2010, by order of Judge Missouri. On Aug. 2, 2010, Judge Missouri ordered that the scheduled release of Kirkland be revoked and that he be kept in the mental institution for further care and treatment.

 

After an appeal from Kirkland, represented by the taxpayer provided free attorney from the public defender’s office, Judge Missouri issued an order for a conditional release dated April 14, 2011, which was to be in effect for three years.

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