James Walter Gross Jr., 27 of Saint Leonard
On February 10, 2019, at 12:51 a.m., members of the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to San Mateo Trail, in Lusby, for a report of a drive-by shooting.
Prior to police arriving on the scene, the Calvert Control Center advised police units, that James Walter Gross Jr., 27 of Saint Leonard, was the suspect who shot the victim’s residence.
Upon arrival, several police units cleared the scene and observed several gunshot holes in the front of the residence. The on-call detective and was contacted to respond to the scene. Detective Livingston arrived at the residence and observed several gunshot holes in the front of the residence.
Crime lab responded to the scene and took the door which contained the bullet, however, no shell casings were recovered.
Police spoke to the victim, a 25-year-old female who showed them a bullet hole that was next to her bedroom window. The bullet entered the room from the front side of the residence and stuck a closet door. The bullet was lodged inside the closet door.
The victim stated she knows James because they work together at Calvert Hospital. The victim said she talked to James on the phone and asked him what was going on.
James asked the victim where her sister’s boyfriend lives. The victim told James she wasn’t going to tell him, at which time James stated if she didn’t tell him, he would shoot her sister’s boyfriends house up. James stated to the victim “she needed to that same energy up for what’s about to happen next”.
There were several individuals present in the residence at the time of the shooting. The 25-year-old female victim was lying in bed with her 5-year-old daughter when a bullet stuck a closet door
Police drove to St. Mary’s County to meet the sister of the victim who was at her boyfriend’s residence. Police were able to obtain a recorded statement from stating that she spoke to James on the phone, during which time James started to make threats towards her boyfriend
The sister of the victim stated she and James met through the victim and briefly talked for a few months. The sister stated she broke it off with James because she got back together with her ex-boyfriend. She stated James took the break up hard and James stated several times he would “get” her current boyfriend. She then told police that James carries a green gun all the time and she had seen the gun first hand.
The victim’s sister stated she received a phone call from her sister, the victim stating her house was shot up. The sister stated once she found out the house was shot up, she sent James a text message. James sent a text message back stating, “Do me a favor, stay out of this, I’m playing for keeps”. Police asked the sister If she thought James assumed, she was at her house with her boyfriend and meant to shoot her or him. She stated, “yes I believe he thought I was home with my boyfriend”.
Several police units responded to James’ residence in St Leonard, but his vehicle wasn’t there. On February 10, 2019, at 4:55 a.m., police called James’ cell phone and made contact with him. They asked James where he currently was, and he stated at home. Police asked James if he got into an argument with his girlfriend tonight and he stated no. When asked If he was home all night, he stated no, he was at Calvert Tap House and drove around PG County. Police units responded to James’s residence and placed him under arrest
James Walter Gross Jr. was transported to the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office where he was read his Miranda rights and refused to speak with police without a lawyer present.
A vehicle was seized along with two cell phones.
Gross was transported to the Calvert Detention Center where he is held without bond and charged with the following:
- Attempted first-degree murder (2 counts)
- Assault first -degree
- Reckless endangerment from a car (5 counts)
- Use of a firearm in a felony
James Walter Gross Jr., 27 of Saint Leonard
