Who is Radee Labeeb Prince? Harford County workplace shooting suspect has extensive criminal history
HARFORD COUNTY, Md. - The man investigators say is responsible for shooting five of his co-workers at a Maryland business park, killing three of them, on Wednesday has a long criminal history.
According to the Harford County Sheriff's Office, Radee Labeeb Prince, 37, shot five employees at Advanced Granite Solutions in the Emmorton Business Park in Edgewood, Maryland just before 9 a.m. Three of the victims died, and two were left critically injured.
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After the shooting, investigators say Prince fled in a black 2008 GMC Acadia with Delaware plates PC64273.
Investigators say Prince used a handgun in the targeted attack. He has also been linked to another shooting that happened Wednesday at a car lot in the 2800 block of Northeast Boulevard in Wilmington, Delaware, where authorities say he has family.
Police said the shootings in Maryland and Delaware are believed to be targeted shooting incidents and not tied to terrorism.
"This individual knew the people he wanted to go shoot," said Wilmington Police Chief Robert Tracy. "This wasn't a random act of violence where a person went out indiscriminately and was shooting people up."
According to Wilmington police, Prince has had "beefs" and a prior history with the victim he shot twice in Delaware.
"They have had some past history on some criminal cases," said Chief Tracy. "There are some historical basis that goes back a couple of years where they are known to each other ... I think there is just a relationship that has gone awry for some reason."
The Harford County Sheriff's Office says Prince worked as a machine operator at Advanced Granite Solutions, a company that designs and installs countertops, for the last four months.
Prince was fired from another job earlier this year after attacking a co-worker. A protective order filed against Prince says he was fired for punching another employee in the face, and Prince returned to the business to yell and curse at the man who fired him.
"I felt very threatened because he is a big guy and very aggressive on me," the co-worker wrote in the restraining order application.
However, a Harford County judge denied the protective order because the co-worker did not meet the burden of proof.
Wilmington police say Prince has been arrested 42 times in Delaware, which include several arrests for violating probation. Prince has 15 felony convictions and four misdemeanor convictions, Chief Tracy says.
According to online court records, Prince lived in Elkton -- about 35 miles from the shooting scene -- as recently as last month. He faced several gun charges in March 2015 in Cecil County, including being a felon in possession of a firearm and carrying a handgun in vehicle. However, the charges were dropped about three months later.
A Maryland property manager said Prince often paid his rent late, but was always polite and cooperative. Heather Todd said Prince has rented a three-bedroom town house since November 2014 and lives there with his girlfriend. Her company, Homes for Rent, has filed eight petitions for nonpayment of rent against the couple. But she said they always ended up paying their rent and the company never had to schedule an eviction.
Prince's neighbors in Elkton, Maryland, were stunned to hear that he was accused of shooting and killing several people. Neighbors described him as a nice guy who acknowledged and greeted others, smiled occasionally, but pretty much kept to himself.
"He was always nice. He was always pleasant," said neighbor Dewey Phelps. "He would come out one morning and his tire was flat. I said, ‘Man, you need some help?’ He said, ‘Nah, I got it.” No big deal, you know. He never once showed any aggression."
In addition to living in Maryland, police say some of Prince's last known addresses also include different areas that include Wilmington and New Castle County in Delaware.
Information from the Associated Press used in this report.