Regional Briefing

PUBLIC SAFETY

Slain Man Found Near Church

The naked body of a man was found behind a Prince George's County church early Monday morning, and police said they think he was killed.

A staff member at Ascension Lutheran Church and Day School called police about 7:30 a.m. after finding the body in the parking lot near a basketball court and playground, police said. Investigators determined that the death was a homicide, said Lt. Col. Kevin Davis, the department's deputy chief in charge of major crimes and homicide.

Davis identified the man only as a Hispanic male in his 20s or 30s. He said that the man had trauma to his torso and that investigators have no suspects in the case.

Neighbors of the church in the 7400 block of Buchanan Street in the Landover Hills area said youths frequent the area at night, drinking and using drugs. They said it is not uncommon to hear gunshots from the church parking lot, although no one reported hearing any Sunday night or Monday morning.

A woman who answered the phone at the church declined to comment.

-- Matt Zapotosky

Man Shot by Montgomery Officer

A 31-year-old Germantown man was shot and seriously wounded Monday by a Montgomery County police officer in an incident outside a house in Darnestown, county police said.

They said police were called to the 14000 block of Indian Run Drive in Darnestown about 3:40 p.m. after a man drove up a long private driveway and was confronted by the homeowner. The man tried to turn his car around, but it became stuck in wet grass, police said.

When an officer arrived, the man "charged and then attacked" him, according to a police news release. The officer fired, and the man was struck and taken to a hospital, where he was listed in critical but stable condition, police said. Police identified the man as Ingham "Andre" DeFreitas of Monarch Vista Drive. No charges had been filed late last night.