PGPD Officers Arrest Man Moments After He Assaults & Robs Young Girl

Lamar Rudolph Samuel

A man who grabbed, choked and robbed an eight-year-old girl as she walked to school Monday morning was taken into custody moments after the assault. Two Prince George’s County Police officers driving separately into work on Monday morning each heard the radio call for a suspicious man outside of a school and the school was on lockdown. Both officers redirected their cars and raced in direction of the school.  First on scene, they quickly located the suspect who was standing outside of the school where he had just urinated on the building. The officers approached him and placed him in handcuffs. The suspect is 34-year-old Lamar Samuel of Southeast Washington. 

On June 4^th, at approximately 7:50 am, the victim was walking to school in the 4900 block of Annapolis Road. The investigation reveals Samuel approached the girl, choked her and then grabbed her cell phone. He then carried the victim in a chokehold across the street where he was confronted by school staff. The suspect let go of the girl and staff members got her to safety. The school was immediately placed on lockdown. Thankfully, the victim’s injuries were not serious.

Through the course of their investigation, our detectives later learned that twenty minutes before this attack, Samuel matched the description of a man who groped a woman on a Metrobus in Bladensburg.  Metro Transit Police detectives had shared surveillance photos of the unknown suspect with the public and local law enforcement in their effort to identify and locate him.   When Samuel was positively identified, MTPD detectives obtained an arrest warrant and Samuel was served on Thursday.

Prince George’s County Police Chief Hank Stawinski and Metro Transit Police Chief Ron Pavlik both thanked the quick-acting officers and diligent detectives for their collaborative efforts in getting a dangerous person off of the streets so quickly. 

In connection with the assault on the young girl, Samuel is charged with attempted first degree murder, second degree assault, indecent exposure and robbery among other charges. He’s in custody of the Prince George’s County Department of Corrections on a no-bond status.

For information about charges in the bus assault, please contact Metro Transit Police.  

 Anyone with information on the PGPD investigation or this suspect is asked to call 301-699-2601. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477), or go online at www.pgcrimesolvers.com, or use the “P3 Tips” mobile app (search “P3 Tips” in the Apple Store or Google Play to download the app onto your mobile device.)