Trial scheduled for Westbard shooting suspect

A scheduling hearing was finally held last Friday, July 25, 2025, for the trial of the lone suspect arrested so far in the March 29, 2025 shooting on Westbard Avenue in Bethesda. The three-day jury trial of Devon Edwards, 22, is now scheduled for January 7, 2026, in the courtroom of Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge J. Bradford McCullough. Edwards is facing charges of felony 1st-degree assault, reckless endangerment, loaded handgun on person, and discharging a firearm in an urban area in the shooting outside of the Bowlero bowling alley at 5353 Westbard Avenue at Westbard Square. He is being held without bond at the County jail in Clarksburg. Two people were injured in the shootout, and one or more additional alleged shooters have outwitted capture and still remain at-large.

Westbard shooting suspect hearing postponed after defense motions filed

A hearing to schedule a trial for the sole suspect arrested so far in the March 29, 2025 shooting on Westbard Avenue in Bethesda has been postponed until this Friday, July 25, after the suspect's attorney filed several motions in advance of last Friday's original hearing date. Devon Edwards, 22, is facing charges of felony 1st-degree assault, reckless endangerment, loaded handgun on person, and discharging a firearm in an urban area in the shooting outside of the Bowlero bowling alley at 5353 Westbard Avenue at Westbard Square. Two people were injured in the shootout, and one or more additional alleged shooters still remain at-large.

Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge James A. Bonifant postponed last Friday's hearing, after attorney Danielle Moore of the Office of the Public Defender filed motions requesting a speedy trial, demanding discovery and inspection, requesting production of the grand jury transcript, and to suppress/exclude evidence, dismiss and severance. The latter was a request to separate the charges or to entirely dismiss the charges. Last week's actions also now confirm that the charges Edwards faces were the result of grand jury proceedings.

Westbard shooting suspect indicted on multiple charges

Devon Edwards

The only suspect arrested so far in the March 29, 2025 shooting on Westbard Avenue in Bethesda has been criminally indicted on multiple charges. Filed in Montgomery County Circuit Court in Rockville, the criminal charges represent a significant development in the case. Following his arrest on May 23 in Washington, D.C., Devon Edwards, 22, had only been charged with "loaded handgun on person," and "handgun on person," which are only misdemeanors. He has been held without bail since that time, awaiting a July 14 trial. That trial has now been postponed, and Edwards has been charged with felony 1st-degree assault, reckless endangerment, loaded handgun on person, and discharging a firearm in an urban area.

Neither the Montgomery County State's Attorney's office nor the Montgomery County Police Department have commented publicly on the case since Edwards' arrest. However, the original case filed against Edwards was a "stipulated order of continuance."  An SOC is an agreement between a defendant and the prosecutor that sets conditions which, if met by the defendant, will result in the charges being dropped. If the conditions are not met, the case will then go to trial. It appears that the conditions agreed to were not met, and the prosecutor is now throwing the (relatively thin) book at the defendant.

According to Maryland court records, Edwards is still being held without bond in the Clarksburg jail. A hearing to schedule a new trial date will be held this Friday, July 18. Police still have not commented on how many shooters there were in the shocking March 29 gunfight outside of Bowlero at 5353 Westbard Avenue, only that there was more than one. The additional alleged shooter(s) remain at large. Two people were injured in the shooting. "Earwitnesses" reported hearing 20-30 shots being fired, and police were seen recovering multiple shell casings from a wide area on Westbard Avenue.

Police have asked anyone with information regarding additional suspects or this crime to visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, MD website at www.crimesolversmcmd.org, and click on the “www.p3tips.com” link at the top of the page, or call 1-866-411-8477.  A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of additional suspects. Tipsters may remain anonymous.

One Westbard shooting suspect arrested, remaining shooters still at large

Two months after a barrage of gunfire erupted outside of the Bowlero bowling alley at 5353 Westbard Avenue at Westbard Square in Bethesda, Montgomery County police have announced their first arrest in the case. Devon Edwards, 22, "of an unknown address," was taken into custody by Metropolitan Police Department officers in Washington, D.C. last Friday, May 23, 2025, Montgomery County police said in a statement yesterday. The statement said Edwards has been charged with first-degree assault, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, reckless endangerment, and conspiracy to commit malicious destruction of property.

County police provided a few details about the incident, including that there were multiple shooters, who remain at-large. They have not provided a motive or narrative of what happened around 12:13 AM on March 29, but stated that there were two "groups" who "exchanged gunfire." In a twist that perhaps Christopher Wray could appreciate, police indicated that the two victims of the shooting were not wounded, but only injured by "broken glass." A local journalist listening to police radio communications immediately after the 911 call March 29 reported hearing that a female victim had been "grazed in the face by a bullet in the parking lot" of Bowlero. Perhaps the victim or bystanders had not yet realized the cause of the wound at that early juncture, which would explain the discrepancy.

I noticed that many mainstream media outlets were simply glossing over the press release, so it's worthwhile digging a bit deeper into what new information we have - or have not - learned from that statement, and from elsewhere.

• It is now confirmed for the first time that there were multiple shooters, which provides supporting context for the wide spread of the shell casings and property damage at the scene, as well as the "earwitness" reports of 20 to 30 rounds being fired.

• We do not know how many shooters there were in total.

• Police have confirmed for the first time that they have surveillance video from Bowlero that showed enough to determine that there were two groups shooting at each other, and that there were multiple shooters.

• Police have not indicated whether they have clear images of any or all of the shooting suspects, and/or the getaway vehicles, or when they will - if ever - make those public to assist in tracking down all of the suspected shooters. It's challenging for the public to assist if there are no suspect or vehicle descriptions available.

• The red Honda Accord referred to as one of the getaway vehicles in radio communications has not been mentioned or confirmed by police thus far. Yesterday's statement did not mention any of the many Westbard Square, traffic, surveillance, or doorbell cameras that would have captured the fleeing vehicles on any of the possible escape routes from Westbard Avenue.

• The charges that the statement indicated have been filed against Edwards do not appear in Maryland online court records.

• A different case filed in Montgomery County District Court in Rockville against a defendant with the same name and age, which cites a firearm-related incident taking place on March 29 (the same day of the Westbard shooting), is described as a "Criminal SOC Application" case type. 

• The defendant in that case was arrested under a warrant issued on April 22, 2025.

• The defendant in that case has been charged only with Loaded Handgun on Person, and Handgun on Person, both misdemeanors.

• "Criminal SOC Application" refers to a "stipulated order of continuance." This is an agreement between a defendant and the prosecutor that sets conditions that, if met by the defendant, will result in the charges being dropped. If the conditions are not met, the case will then go to trial.

• Yesterday's statement indicated Edwards is being held without bond in the County jail.

• The defendant of the same name and age in the other case has a bail hearing scheduled for tomorrow, and a trial date of July 14 in Montgomery County District Court in Rockville.

Perhaps one of our resident attorneys or law enforcement professionals can comment below as to what the significance of the "Criminal SOC Application" case is in this situation, and why the charges listed differ from those in yesterday's press release.

Given that the other alleged shooters in the incident remain at large, yesterday's press release said, police still need the public's help in this case. Anyone with information regarding the additional suspects or this crime is asked to visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, MD website at www.crimesolversmcmd.org and click on the “www.p3tips.com” link at the top of the page or call 1-866-411-8477.  A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the suspects. Tipsters may remain anonymous.

Westbard crime wave prompts civic association letter to Montgomery County officials

An ongoing crime wave surrounding the new Westbard Square development in Bethesda has prompted a letter from an adjacent civic association to Montgomery County officials, and property owner Regency Centers. While the County has been experiencing a persistent wave of violent crime and looting-level shoplifting since the summer of 2020, crime has noticeably increased in the Westbard Avenue area this year. Incidents have included thefts from at least 16 vehicles parked in the Westbard Square garage at 5400 Westbard Avenue since February, and a March 29 shooting that wounded two people outside the Bowlero bowling alley across the street; the shooter(s) remain at large two months later. County officials and police have not commented publicly on the Westbard incidents, the suspects involved, or the status of the investigations.

Increasing community concerns about the crime, and the inaction by the County, have led the Westbard Mews Condominium Association to send a letter to County officials and Regency Centers. The Westbard Mews community, which consists of 36 townhomes, is located just down Westbard Avenue from the Westbard Square development.

The association's letter, a copy of which was obtained by Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row, notes that the recent surge in crime "appears to correlate with the new developments and businesses around Westbard Avenue." "Many of our homeowners have lived in their homes for upwards of 30-40 years, and have gotten accustomed to living in relative safety compared with neighborhoods in Washington, D.C.," the association writes. The incidents of the last several months "have understandably caused great concern among our residents, and highlight the need for increased security presence in the neighborhood."

"We kindly request increased patrolling, and a collaborative effort from local law enforcement and county authorities to address these issues promptly. We are committed to maintaining a safe and welcoming environment for everyone in our neighborhood, and believe that with your support, we can effectively mitigate these concerns."

The letter also expresses additional concerns relating to traffic safety along Westbard Avenue, and within the Westbard Square development's garage and internal private streets. It notes that the "State Law" sign at the crosswalk meant for use by Westland Middle School students has been knocked off by a vehicle, and now is laying nearby on a sidewalk. The WMCA is requesting traffic calming measures for Westbard Avenue.

Recipients of the WMCA letter include Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, Montgomery County Police Chief Marc Yamada, Regency Centers, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation, and other Montgomery County elected officials.

Westbard shooting suspect(s) remain at large 2 months later

Two months after a barrage of gunfire wounded two people near Bowlero at 5353 Westbard Avenue in Bethesda, the shooting suspect(s) remain at large. The community in the Westbard area continues to await answers to the many questions surrounding the shocking event that occurred at 12:13 AM on March 29, 2025. Not only have Montgomery County police and elected officials continued to remain silent on the incident over the last eight weeks, but no suspect descriptions nor any surveillance video of the suspect(s) and the getaway vehicle have been released. 

Where is the surveillance video from Bowlero and Westbard Square across the street? Who fired what several ear-witnesses described as 20-30 rounds, and where did they come from? Where they went would be evident from the many surveillance and traffic cameras along every potential escape route from Westbard Avenue. The current message to criminals in the region is that Westbard is a place where serious crimes can be committed without consequence, exactly the opposite of what Montgomery County should be communicating.

Westbard shooting suspect(s) remain at large 7 weeks later

The search for answers in the March 29, 2025 shooting on Westbard Avenue is entering its eighth week. Whoever fired a barrage of shots outside the Bethesda Bowlero bowling alley at 12:13 AM that morning continues to live their best life in sweet freedom, unencumbered by the scales of justice and the long arm of the law. In Montgomery County, that's the remaining arm of the law that isn't tied behind the back by our pro-criminal elected officials. Two people were wounded in the shooting, and only luck prevented there from being more victims. The Montgomery County Council and County police remained silent on the shocking gunplay in a quiet residential area for a seventh week.

Six weeks later, no arrests in Westbard shooting

The March 29, 2025 shooting on Westbard Avenue can hardly be termed a cold case yet, but a sixth week has passed without any announcement of an arrest in the shocking incident. Two people were wounded in the shooting outside of Bowlero at 5353 Westbard Avenue at 12:13 AM that morning. We know that those two victims are also two of potentially many witnesses to what unfolded there; there are surveillance cameras at the bowling alley, Westbard Square, and Westwood Tower; and that there are surveillance, traffic, and doorbell cameras along every potential route of escape taken by the shooter(s). As the sixth week passed, the Montgomery County Council and Montgomery County Police Department have maintained their silence on the incident, which was without precedent in the Westbard area of Bethesda.

Westbard shooting suspect(s) enjoy fifth week of freedom

The suspect(s) in the March 29, 2025 shooting on Westbard Avenue in Bethesda remain at-large five weeks after the incident. Two people were wounded outside of the Bowlero bowling alley at 5353 Westbard Avenue at 12:13 AM that Saturday morning. Montgomery County police and Montgomery County elected officials remained completely silent on the shooting and the investigation for another week. The community is still awaiting answers to the many questions about this shocking incident, and for the identification and arrest of the person(s) responsible for the barrage of gunfire in a quiet residential neighborhood in the 20816 zip code.

Westbard shooting suspect(s) still on the lam a month later

The suspect(s) in the March 29, 2025 shooting on Westbard Avenue in Bethesda remain at large four weeks after the incident. Two people were wounded outside of Bowlero at 5353 Westbard Avenue at 12:13 AM that morning. Montgomery County police and Montgomery County elected officials remain silent on the shooting and investigation. We haven't even heard from Moms Demand Action! 

While no information is being provided by official sources, this past week another unofficial tidbit was provided by a patron of the bowling alley, who visited on the Monday following the shooting. They reported seeing bullet holes in the main entrance doors, and that glass panels were boarded up. 

We've seen every effort made to reduce the 2nd Amendment rights of law abiding citizens in Montgomery County. Tackling the criminals who are actually opening fire in public places? There doesn't seem to be the same energy, to say the least. Can our officials summon the same fury and contempt they have for the law-abiding gun owner for the criminals on our streets? A mass shooting left two people wounded in the 20816 zip code, and the action is not matching the rhetoric, folks.

"Maryland has made bold efforts to reduce gun violence...Montgomery County has continued to take action by appropriately exercising its granted legislative authority to pass laws to address gun violence." - Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown

"Our goal is to move closer to ending gun violence in Montgomery County.” - Montgomery County Council President Kate Stewart

"We have had enough of thoughts and prayers. We need to act." - Montgomery County Councilmember Evan Glass

"We don't have to accept gun violence as an inevitability...Montgomery County continues to push the envelope as much as we possibly can within the legal parameters that we have." - Montgomery County Councilmember Andrew Friedson

"Maryland is leading the way...We passed an assault rifle ban. Since then, we've banned ghost guns, passed universal background checks, red flag laws, and just this past session...we ended gun immunity - gun industry immunity in Maryland." - State Senator Jeff Waldstreicher (D - District 18)

Shooting on Westbard Avenue in Bethesda (Video + Photos)

UPDATE - 7:17 PM: Montgomery County police have confirmed that there were two victims in the shooting. Both had non-life-threatening injuries, but one had to be transported to a local hospital for treatment. Police also confirmed that no suspects are in custody at this time.

Montgomery County and Maryland-National Capital Park police responded to a report of a shooting in the 5300 block of Westbard Avenue in Bethesda early this morning. The shooting took place near the intersection of Westbard Avenue and Zenith Overlook, in the vicinity of the Bowlero bowling alley, shortly after 12:00 AM. According to @DCNewsLive on X, an adult female victim was grazed in the face by a bullet, and the alleged shooter fled the scene in a red Honda Accord. Police radio communications referred to a "rifle."

The crime scene quickly expanded in size as the morning went on. Officers combing the area around the bowling alley noticed there was also evidence in the street, and ordered Westbard Avenue closed to traffic. Police appeared to recover several shell casings from the road in front of the Westwood Tower property next to the bowling alley. There is no word yet from Montgomery County police on the condition of the victim, or on this incident in general, as of this writing. The suspect(s) presumably remain at large.

New traffic signals installed on Westbard Avenue in Bethesda

Traffic signals have been installed by the Montgomery County Department of Transportation on Westbard Avenue at the future intersection with Zenith Overlook in Bethesda. The signals are not yet operational. It's unlikely they will be activated before construction of Zenith Overlook is completed. Zenith Overlook is an interior street within the new Westbard Square development. 

Zenith Overlook under construction

Kenwood wants street name of new Brookside Drive block in Bethesda changed

Montgomery County recently designated the new extension segment of Westbard Avenue to River Road in Bethesda as the 5600 block of "Brookside Drive." As I anticipated, the Kenwood neighborhood across River is not happy about this. Not only is there concern about confusion for drivers, as Brookside Drive is officially in Chevy Chase as opposed to Bethesda, but Brookside Drive is an elite street address strongly associated with Kenwood. Kenwood's citizens association has asked Montgomery County to change it. According to the Springfield Civic Association, the County renamed the new block Brookside Drive "because our neighbors on the 5500 Block of Westbard have decided to keep their addresses on Westbard and so a different name is needed for that stretch of newly realigned road."

Montgomery County's Planning Department will make the final decision whether to change the name, and what the replacement name will be. It is soliciting a list of suggestions from both the Springfield and Kenwood neighborhoods, which members of their respective civic associations will begin voting on between today and December 8. Names cannot be similar to existing street names within Montgomery County.

Write-in votes are allowed. It's unclear if the Planning Department will consider additional names at a later point in the process. 

Might I suggest writing in a few names that are actually related to the location? Petey Greene was the pioneering African-American broadcaster whose program was recorded a short walk from this street at the WDCA-20 television studios. His colleague, Dick Dyzsel, is well-known locally, and recognized among horror fans nationally for his Count Gore de Vol persona. Andy Russo was a president of the Springfield Civic Association who tragically passed away at an early age. The late Carlos Bonds was the longtime owner of the Citgo station on Westbard Avenue. Peter Posey owned the farm that the Springfield neighborhood later was developed on. 

This is a unique opportunity to help create a "sense of place" unique to the Westbard area, but it could end up being yet another missed opportunity if a generic name is chosen. 

Google Maps displaying alternative facts about Westbard road grid in Bethesda (Photos)

Google Maps is displaying incorrect information for the recently-reopened road network around Westbard Avenue in Bethesda. The website shows a traffic signal at the intersection of Westbard Avenue and Ridgefield Road, which reopened last Friday, December 1, 2023. There is no traffic signal at that intersection, only stop signs. But that's not all that's wrong.

Note shown by Google Maps
incorrectly labeling a block of
Ridgefield Road as "Closed"

Even more strangely, the "Traffic" layer of Google Maps is showing the block of Ridgefield Road between Newington Road and Westbard Avenue as "Closed until Jan. 19, 2024." This is also - obviously - incorrect, as the road has been open for three days now. I'm curious where Google is retrieving this data from. Up until today, I assumed that information about planned road closures was retrieved from official government feeds that announce such information - the Montgomery County Department of Transportation, in this case. 

Despite Google Maps' claims, there is
no traffic signal at this intersection

The rest of the traffic information for the Westbard area appears to be correct, including the recently opened "Brookside Drive" block between River Road and Westbard Avenue. I checked with a user of the Waze navigation app, who reported back that Waze was displaying accurate information about the Westbard area as of last night, so it appears to be a Google issue.

Ridgefield Road-Westbard Avenue intersection reopens in Bethesda (Photos)

An unprecedented 17-month closure of a Bethesda neighborhood's arterial road network has come to an end. The intersection of Ridgefield Road and Westbard Avenue reopened to vehicular traffic yesterday, after the completion of a road realignment project. While the original concept was to extend Westbard down to the River Road-Brookside Drive intersection, at some point a decision was made to call that new block of Westbard "Brookside Drive." It is now labeled as the 5600 block of Brookside, a street name that has up until now been an elite address through the Kenwood neighborhood across River Road.

While neither Montgomery County nor Westbard developer Regency Centers has publicly spoken about the naming decision, the late change represents a sacrifice on the part of Regency, as it loses the branding opportunity of having the "Westbard" street sign over the voluminous commuter traffic that passes through the River-Brookside intersection only a block from the company's new Westbard Square development. On the positive side for Regency, the realigned road creates a direct field of view of Westbard Square from the River-Brookside intersection.

New traffic signals at the new Westbard-Brookside "T" intersection midway between River and Westbard Square were also activated on Friday. The signals will make what was originally going to be a very dangerous, ungoverned intersection for pedestrians and drivers much safer. Fully-separated bike lanes also provide a very safe route for cyclists along the Brookside and Westbard portions between River and Westbard Square. With the Westbard road grid reopened again, the Montgomery County Department of Transportation is now expected to study the traffic patterns that develop, to determine whether or not to implement a closure of Westbard Avenue at River Road that was recommended in the 2016 Westbard sector plan.

Giant, Voorthuis signage installed at Westbard Square in Bethesda (Photos)

Sign installers are busy at the future Westbard Square development in Bethesda as Thanksgiving week gets underway. The first Westbard Square branding for the Regency Centers development has been installed on the new Giant building. It's above the future Westwood Barber Shop space along Westbard Avenue. There is some illumination of it from below, but it does not yet light up. Also installed but not lit is the first Giant logo sign, on the side facing the current Giant store. 

Giant's signage elsewhere on the building refers to the new grocery store's pharmacy, a feature not previously offered at the Westwood Giant. Starbucks is listed, but it's unclear if that sign is referring to the actual Starbucks that will be in the ground floor of the building, or to a smaller Starbucks counter inside the Giant store. Giant tried operating a small Starbucks at this location earlier this century, but the presence of a full-blown Starbucks in the same shopping center seemed to limit the demand, and Giant ended up removing the Starbucks counter near the front entrance of the store.

Voorthuis Opticians has its logo and trademark glass frame signage in place, and it was lit last night. One other exterior addition is the stonework behind the "Westbard Square" logo. That is a nod to the locally-quarried stone found on many Bethesda buildings and homes built in the 20th century.

Stairs up to Giant

Lighting fixtures visible inside
the new Giant store space

Westbard Avenue access restored from River Road/Brookside Drive intersection in Bethesda (Photos)

The realigned segment of Westbard Avenue was reopened to automobile traffic at the intersection of River Road and Brookside Drive in Bethesda yesterday. Formerly the lowest block of Ridgefield Road, the heavily-traveled artery had been closed since early summer 2022. Drivers can once again reach the Westwood Shopping Center and other businesses on Westbard Avenue from River Road without detouring a roundabout way. Still barricaded is the new segment of Westbard between what is being called Brookside Drive and Ridgefield Road. That portion of the new street grid will open to the public on December 1, 2023.

New traffic signals now activated

Westbard Avenue looking toward its
intersection with Ridgefield Road - this
segment will open to the public on December 1

Intersection of realigned Westbard Avenue & River Road to reopen Friday in Bethesda

The intersection of the new, realigned Westbard Avenue, River Road and Brookside Drive is now scheduled to reopen to vehicular traffic tomorrow, Friday, November 17, 2023. It is expected to reopen at or before 4:00 PM, to be coordinated with activation of the new traffic signals. The other part of the road grid that has been closed since summer 2022 - Ridgefield Road at Westbard Avenue - will reopen to traffic on December 1, 2023. The staggered reopening is designed to allow drivers to adjust to the new street grid without cutting through the adjacent neighborhood, Westbard Square developer Regency Centers said this morning.

Westbard Square bus shelter installed in Bethesda (Photos)

The Montgomery County Council may have deleted the transit center from the Westbard sector plan in 2016, but it turns out those arriving and departing the future Westbard Square development at 5400 Westbard Avenue in Bethesda by bus will still have a roof over their heads. A bus shelter has been installed on Westbard right in front of the new Giant building. I notice that a sign has also been installed on the building behind it, indicating the pedestrian access to the parking garage. This is where the Route 23 Ride On bus will stop, once service to Westbard Avenue is restored.

Late night paving at Westbard in Bethesda (Photos)

With 39 hours left to complete the Westbard Avenue realignment project and reopen the Westbard street grid by the deadline announced lat year, paving contractor M. Luis was working on the newly-designated "5600 Brookside Drive" (formerly Ridgefield Road, was supposed to be Westbard Avenue...)nwhere it meets River Road in Bethesda overnight. Rain is in the forecast today, which could potentially reduce the amount of work that can be done until it clears out Saturday evening.