ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Local and federal law enforcement agencies in Annapolis, Maryland said they are determined to find the shooter who killed a Houston woman early Tuesday. They are offering a $20,000 reward in the case.
Michelle Cummings, 57, was sitting on the patio of the Graduate Annapolis hotel when she was struck by a stray bullet.
Cummings and her husband were there to see their son, Leonard "Trey" Cummings III, inducted into the U.S. Naval Academy, where he had signed to play football.
“I’m a bit emotional with this case because the way it happened,” Annapolis Police Chief Ed Jackson said at a news conference Wednesday. “His family travels from Houston, Texas and what should have been the highlight of their summer -- to take their son to an induction ceremony -- and then it ended the way it did.”
Jackson said his heart goes out to the family and detectives are working around the clock to bring them justice.
Police have determined the shooter was one of two people sitting in an SUV on a street adjacent from the hotel when the shots were fired. At least one bullet struck Michelle, but they don’t believe she was the intended target.
Jackson said they’ve recovered video and interviewed possible witnesses but wouldn’t give specifics.
The FBI and ATF have joined the investigation.
Trey posted a one-word tweet Tuesday evening: "Why?"
“You have suffered such a senseless loss and we grieve with you,” Baltimore FBI Special Agent in Charge Rachel Byrd said. “Beyond being an FBI agent, I’m a mother as well. I know the pride she must have felt bringing her son to start his new life as a member of the Midshipmen, only to have her life cut so senselessly short.”
“Your visit to Maryland should have remained full of joy and promise and not resulted in tragedy,” an ATF special agent in charge added.
Byrd said she spent some time learning as much as she could about Michelle and watched video of a parade to celebrate Leonard’s acceptance into the Naval Academy.
“I saw Michelle standing there beaming. I saw the pride that she had for her son. Her standout football star was going to one of the most elite schools in the country."
Chief Jackson told reporters he had met with Trey, a 2020 Westfield High School graduate.
“I said to him that I think the best way to honor your mother’s legacy – cause she’s a big part of you being here today: she raised you; she nurtured you; she loved you – and the best way to honor her legacy is to go forward with your education at the Naval Academy,” Jackson told him. “Don’t let some misguided gunman take that away from you… your mother wouldn’t want that.”
The federal agents vowed to work closely with Annapolis police to catch the killer.
“We will use every tool that we have, every technique that we know and all the time that we need to solve this crime,” Byrd said.
Back in Houston, neighbors are heartbroken.
"It was really sad. My mom actually cried about it when she heard about it," Erika Flakes said.
Flakes says she just saw Michelle the other day.
"She was so excited and happy, and she got with her husband and friends and enjoying the excitement of dropping her son off to college."
A gofundme.com account has been set up to help the Cummings family with funeral expenses.
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