MD Illegal gang banger murders honor student

Police Arrest One In Bus Shooting
Hector Mauricio Hernandez has been charged with murder.
By Joe Slaninka
Special to The Sentinel
Police say the man responsible for killing a Montgomery Blair High School honors student in an unprovoked shooting on a crowded bus is not only a member of a notorious street gang, but an illegal alien as well.
On Monday, Montgomery County police said they arrested a 20-year-old man and obtained warrants for two other suspects in connection with the murder of 14-year-old Tai Lam on Nov. 1.
Police arrested Hector Mauricio Hernandez, of Takoma Park, on Friday, Nov. 7 and charged him with first-degree murder, after he allegedly shot a handgun into a crowded bus after exiting, striking and killing Lam, 14, and injuring two other teenagers.
Hernandez, along with three to four other individuals, reportedly got into a verbal altercation with a large group of teenagers, before leaving the bus, according to police.
Cao Lam, Tai's 16-year-old brother, was on the bus at the time of the shooting and says there was no dispute and that the gunman was unprovoked. "It was like he was ready to shoot anybody," Cao said.
The three teens were transported to area hospitals where Lam eventually died from his injuries. The other two victims have been released and are expected to fully recover, police said.
Montgomery County Police Chief Thomas Manger said Hernandez is an illegal immigrant and a member of Mara Salvatrucha, or MS-13, an international gang from Central America that has a very strong presence in the D.C. region.
"As far as the activities and membership of MS-13, it is one of the most prolific gangs in the area," said Captain Don Johnson, commander of District 3, where the murder occurred.
Police, along with several county officials, including County Executive Isiah Leggett and Councilmember Valerie Ervin, held a community meeting Monday, and discussed how to prevent these crimes from happening.
After a video was played containing Montgomery Blair students' stories of Lam and their farewells to him, and a statement made by Lam's sister, Quy Lam, thanking the community for their support of her and her family, police announced at the meeting that they obtained arrest warrants for two other suspects in the shooting.
Police said they are searching for Gilmar Leonardo Romero and Mario Ernesto Milan-Canales, who they said accompanied Hernandez at the time of the shooting. Romero will be charged with first-degree murder and Milan-Canales will be charged with accessory after the fact for first-degree murder, police said.
According to police, they believe that Romero and Milan-Canales are members of MS-13 as well. They are both described as Hispanic males, ages 20 and 30, respectively. Romero is 5-feet-1-inch tall, weighing 120 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair. Milan-Canales is 5-feet-3-inches tall, weighing 140 pounds with brown eyes and brown hair.
According to police, Hernandez was previously arrested on Oct. 3 and charged with carrying a concealed weapon, a switch blade knife. "He was taken before the commissioner's office, and the commissioner released him on personal recognizance," Manger said.
According to Manger, there was no detainer put on Hernandez while he was in custody.
Brad Botwin, director of Help Save Maryland, said he is "blaming" Leggett for the murder because of his refusal to train police officers in accordance with Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. "Ike Leggett has blood on his hands as a result from the latest murder, and will only serve one term for his lawless ways," Botwin said.
Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act "authorizes the secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to enter into agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies, permitting designated officers to perform immigration law enforcement functions ... provided that the local law enforcement officers receive appropriate training and function under the supervision of sworn U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers."
The Montgomery Blair students raised $5,000 last week to help pay for Lam's funeral and a scholarship fund, in honor of him, was proposed at the meeting as well, Monday night.
Sybil Brown, the president of the Student Government Association at Blair, said they plan to sell T-shirts with Lam's picture in memory of him. The proceeds will help fund a memorial that will be placed somewhere in the school, she said.