CONOWINGO — A man remained jailed on Tuesday after he allegedly fired a shotgun at one of his tenants over the weekend — reportedly missing that person by approximately two feet, according to Cecil County District Court records.
The suspect — Shannon Patrick Malbone, 52 — also stands accused of discharging pepper spray into the face a woman who lives in a trailer on property that she rents from Malbone, police said. Investigators identified the man whom Malbone allegedly targeted with the shotgun as the live-in boyfriend of that woman, police added. That couple’s trailer is at 352 Old Conowingo Road and is adjacent to Malbone’s home at 342 Old Conowingo Road, police noted.
Cecil County Sheriff’s Office deputies rushed to the 300 block of Old Conowingo Road at an unspecified time on Saturday morning after receiving a “neighbor dispute” complaint, police reported.
The alleged victims told investigators that Malbone had turned off the electricity to their trailer on Friday, court records show. On Saturday morning, the woman’s boyfriend went to the electrical box between their trailer and Malbone’s residence to see if he could restore electricity to the trailer, police said. While the woman’s boyfriend was standing there, according to his account, Malbone spoke to him from a second-story window of his residence and ordered him to get away from the electrical box — a request the boyfriend ignored, police added.
Then the woman’s boyfriend saw Malbone allegedly stick a shotgun barrel out that second-floor window and fire one shot in his direction, court records allege. That shotgun blast struck a tree that was “approximately one to two feet away” from where the woman’ boyfriend was standing, according to the charging document, which indicates that his girlfriend did not see the alleged shooting but that she “heard a loud bang which she believed to be a gunshot.”
After the shotgun allegedly had been fired, an argument occurred between the two tenants and Malbone, who was joined by some of his friends, court records show. At some point, according to court records, the tenants went inside their trailer. Then Malbone and his friends allegedly called out to the woman and her boyfriend to come out of their trailer, court records allege. While doing so, Malbone and his friends were armed with baseball bats and “other improvised weapons,” according to the charging document.
The woman walked toward Malbone with the purported intent of discussing the situation with him, court records show. Malbone allegedly discharged pepper-spray into the woman’s face, according to the charging document. Her boyfriend did not witness the alleged pepper-spraying because, at that time, his attention was focused on one of Malbone’s companions, who reportedly was walking toward him while armed with a baseball bat, police reported. Both tenants then retreated into their trailer, court records show.
When CCSO deputies arrived, they surrounded Malbone’s house and, after initial attempts to contact the suspect had failed, Malbone voluntarily exited the residence, police said. Deputies arrested Malbone at the scene, police added.
Later that day, investigators conducted a court-approved search of Malbone’s residence, according to Lt. Michael Zack, a CCSO spokesman, who commented, “Items of evidentiary value were seized from the residence.” Because of the ongoing investigation and pending criminal trial, Zack declined to specify the purported evidence that investigators seized from the residence.
Cecil County District Court records indicate that Malbone is charged with first-degree assault — a felony that is punishable by up to 25 years in prison if convicted — and five misdemeanors, including reckless endangerment, use of a firearm in the commission of felony or a crime of violence, discharging mace/chemical device with into to injure and second-degree assault.
Malbone remained in the Cecil County Detention Center on no bond Tuesday, one day after his bail review hearing, according to court records, which show that Cecil County District Court Judge Clara E. Campbell presided over that proceeding.
Zack reported on Tuesday that, although Malbone has been arrested and charged, the investigation is continuing. Anyone with additional information that might help in this investigation is asked to call CCSO Det. Alyson Jackson, lead investigator, at 410-996-5500, ext. 3307, or email her at Alyson.jackson@cecilsheriffmd.gov.
In addition, Zack noted that, “Anyone who wishes to remain anonymous and has information regarding any crime can contact the Cecil County Sheriff’s Office tipline at 410-392-2180.”
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