Glen Burnie resident killed in shooting identified by police, neighbors say the area is usually quiet

Anne Arundel County police on Tuesday identified the Glen Burnie man who was fatally shot in the block where he lives in what officials described as a targeted attack.

Xavier John Arthur Green, 28, of the 300 block of Morris Hill Avenue, died at the scene Monday, police said. The Office of the Chief Medical determined Tuesday that Green’s death was a homicide caused by multiple gunshot wounds.

Outside Green’s residence on Tuesday, family members declined to speak with reporters. Instead, they packed up a U-Haul truck and rumbled out of the gravel driveway as some neighbors raked the autumn leaves.

Nancy Smith, 64, lives across the street from the Green’s former residence. The moving van was attributable to Green’s mother having finally sold the family home, Smith said. Monday they were supposed to finish moving out.

As she swept leaves from her property, she remembered her young neighbor. Smith said she’s close with Green’s mother, but mostly exchanged pleasantries with her friend’s only son.

Sometimes, he’d ask for her cigarettes, Smith said. He was always respectful, calling her “Ms. Nancy.”

“I never had any issues with Xavier,” she said.

Smith said she remembered waving to him around midday Monday. He was letting the dogs out and didn’t see her gesture, she said, and she decided not to raise a fuss.

Then, Smith went out for the afternoon. She returned around 5:30 p.m. to check on her 94-year-old mother, went down to the basement to change and when she came up witnessed the parade of police cars streaming down the block — she’s not quite sure whether she heard the gunshots.

Officers responded to reports of a shooting in the 300 block of Morris Hill Avenue at about 6 p.m. Monday.

Those first on scene initiated CPR on Green, who was unresponsive, police said. Paramedics took over medical care and pronounced him dead at the scene.

Smith said she spoke to Green’s mother shortly after the fatal attack at their house and asked if she was OK. Green’s mother, Smith said, was more concerned about her neighbors.

“Get in the house! Get in the house!” Smith remembers Green’s mother urging.

At that point, Smith knew.

“Oh my god — it has to be Xavier,” she remembered thinking.

Homicide detectives canvassed the scene, spoke with multiple witnesses and collected evidence, police said. Air and K9 units helped search the area for any suspects.

Smith was among those interviewed, she said. “They asked me if (Green) was in a gang. I said, ‘I don’t know.'”

The department said homicide detectives returned to the scene Tuesday in an attempt to find and interview more witnesses and to collect “digital evidence.” By about 2 p.m., a lone police cruiser was stationed before Green’s former residence.

Neighbors went about their business. A school bus paused at an intersection of Warfield Road and Morris Hill Avenue to drop off students, who hopped off and scurried home. Green was last a student with Anne Arundel County Public Schools as a ninth-grader at the Mary Moss at J. Albert Adams Academy — one of the county’s alternative education sites, said Bob Mosier, a spokesman for the school system.

Nina McClamy, 84, raked leaves from her front lawn. She said the neighborhood where she’s lived for 15 years — an enclave between a host of thoroughfares including Interstate 695, Ritchie Highway and Route 10 — is usually quiet.

It stayed quiet until police knocked on her door.

“I talk to the neighbors and wave to them,” she said. “People are very neighborly.”

Detectives are searching for a suspect described as an African American male, who wore a light-colored shirt and dark pants, the department said.

Out of 16 homicides across Anne Arundel County this year police have solved 10, or approximately 63%, said Marc Limansky, a police department spokesman.

But Green’s killing marks the fourth county homicide — third in Glen Burnie — over the last month.

On Oct. 24, police responded to reports of a shooting near Audrey Avenue and Ruth Street in Brooklyn Park. Robert Lee Thomas Jr., 45, was discovered by police laying on the sidewalk after he was shot. He died several days later, and his death was ruled a homicide.

On Oct. 30, police responded around 3:10 p.m. to a report of a shooting at the 300 block of Hospital Drive, where a man, identified as Oxon Hill native Andre Lee Garrett, was being treated by medical personnel, police said. Garrett, 39, later died from his injuries after being transported to nearby Baltimore Washington Medical Center.

Just 24 hours later, police responded to another shooting on Halloween. They responded at about 7:20 p.m. to the 400 block of Gatewood Court in Glen Burnie where Michael Lee Wise, 24, was found laying on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene and his death ruled a homicide.

Since the incident occurred on Halloween, during a time with higher-than-usual foot traffic, police are hoping witnesses will come forward with more information to assist the investigation.

Anyone with information about these incidents is encouraged to call homicide detectives at 410-222-4731 or, if they wish to remain anonymous, the Tip Line at 410-222-4700.