Suspect charged with two counts of first-degree assault and race/religious crime against a person or group: On October 20 at 4:04 p.m., an officer was parked in his marked patrol car in the parking lot of a business in White Plains when a man ran up stating that someone had just pointed a shotgun at him. The officer quickly located the suspect and observed a shotgun in the suspect’s vehicle. A preliminary investigation showed the victim and suspect were inside the business when an argument ensued. During the argument, the suspect used a racial slur to refer to the victim and the person accompanying him. The argument continued outside to the parking lot. The victims began loading their purchases into their vehicle as the suspect continued using racial slurs. The suspect then pulled out a shotgun and held it in the air before pointing it in the direction of the victims. At that point, one of the victims ran to the officer for help. The suspect, Harold Andrew Howard, age 53, of Waldorf, was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree assault and committing a race/religious crime against a person or group. Howard is currently being held at the Charles County Detention Center without bond. M/Sgt. Cooney investigated.