Columbia Man Charged In Student-Athlete's Shooting Death: Police

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Police have arrested a 23-year-old Columbia man in the fatal shooting incident of a high school senior and athlete from North Potomac. Simeon Mbuyu Mukuna, 18, of North Potomac, was pronounced dead at the scene in a weekend shooting. He was a student-athlete at Richard Montgomery High School who was on track to graduate in June.

Shawndel Weems, 23, of Monarch Mills Way, has been charged with first- and second-degree murder, first- and second-degree assault, use of a firearm in a felony and reckless endangerment.

Officers were called to the 7500 block of Monarch Mills Way at approximately 4:57 p.m. Saturday for a report that Mukuna had been fatally shot in the parking lot of an apartment complex. Police located Weems inside his apartment nearby. He initially refused to exit the residence, but then
surrendered without incident. A preliminary investigation revealed Mukuna was in the area visiting a friend. Police do not believe Mukuna and Weems knew one another. Detectives are still investigating a possible motive, which remains unclear at this time.

“The tragic passing of one of our students, Simeon Mukuna (18), was confirmed ... by MCPS. We are stunned by this horrible news,” the school’s principal, Damon Monteleone, said in a tweet. “Our prayers go out to his family.”