BALTIMORE, MD – A local man has been apprehended and charged with the fatal shooting of a Howard County deputy that occurred on Friday. Jewel Crowder, 40, was taken into custody on the same day of the incident and is facing first-degree murder charges for the alleged killing of Deputy Ryan Alexander Demby, 23.
According to the Howard County Sheriff’s Office, the incident took place at a Baltimore bar in the early hours of Friday. A verbal dispute among patrons escalated, leading to gunfire. Deputy Demby was hit during the exchange of bullets. City Councilman Eric Costello stated that the altercation began inside the bar and spilled out onto the street.
Upon arrival at the scene, officers found Demby with multiple life-threatening gunshot wounds. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. Crowder was arrested without any further incidents.
Acting Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley confirmed on Saturday that the entire incident was captured on surveillance footage. The video evidence, along with witness testimonies, enabled the police to swiftly identify Crowder as a suspect.
Howard County Sheriff Marcus Harris paid tribute to Demby during a news conference, describing him as an “outstanding young man” who had followed in his father’s footsteps into law enforcement. Demby’s father is a sergeant with the department. A social media post from the Howard County Sheriff’s Office revealed that Demby had just graduated from the police academy in March.
According to reports, Deputy Demby is Baltimore’s 208th homicide victim in 2023. Approximately 498 people have been shot and injured in the city so far this year.