An 18-year-old student from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School has been sentenced to 11 months in prison following a shooting incident that occurred amidst a brawl in a downtown Bethesda park earlier this year.
Nicolas Paolo Blanco was sentenced at the Montgomery County District Court in Rockville by Circuit Court Judge Margaret Marie Schweitzer.
The court imposed a sentence of four years, with all but 11 months suspended, in addition to three years of probation after his release, according to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The incident took place on February 19 at Chase Avenue Urban Park, located at 4702 Chase Ave., where a large fight involving numerous students resulted in lockdowns at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School and a nearby private institution.
During the violent altercation, at least one shot was fired, although fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Blanco faced charges including first-degree assault—a felony—as well as underage possession of a firearm, a misdemeanor.
He pleaded guilty to these charges in April but did not plead guilty to a third charge of reckless endangerment.
Digital court records indicate that he is currently held at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in Boyds.
The fight was reported around 10 a.m. by a 911 caller who described an assault involving approximately 20 youths, along with the sound of a gunshot.
This incident unraveled in front of the park, and panic ensued as the group scattered upon hearing the shot.
By the time Maryland-National Capital Park Police responded to the scene, they found two live 9mm bullet rounds, along with other debris including a black face mask and a white audio earbud on Tilbury Street, just near the park.
No suspects were located when officers arrived, though they conducted a thorough search of the area afterward.
Interviews conducted by Montgomery County police revealed that four witnesses reported the chaotic scene and described how they heard the gunshot during the physical altercation.
One witness captured a 20-second video of the incident, depicting a group of around ten juveniles engaging in a physical fight, with a gunshot heard in the background.
Video footage circulated on social media shortly after, further evidencing the scale and violence of the incident.
As the fighting unfolded, several individuals engaged in combat while others observed.
At one point in the video, bystanders are heard warning others, suggesting the presence of a firearm and mentioning, “it’s loaded,” before the gunshot is fired, followed by a chaotic dispersion of the group.
While investigating at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, park police spoke to an additional witness who recounted having observed the melee and subsequent shooting while heading to a nearby 7-Eleven.
This witness later identified two suspects fleeing the scene in a black Dodge Charger.
After further investigation, school officials reviewed the footage and recognized those involved as students from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High.
Law enforcement found that a 2016 black Dodge Charger registered to Blanco was involved, and upon searching the parking garage linked to Blanco’s registration, they located the vehicle.
Blanco was subsequently arrested on February 21 and ordered to be held without bond.
The case against him progressed, resulting in an indictment in mid-March, followed by his guilty plea on April 4.
In connection with this incident, a second suspect—a juvenile student from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High—was also apprehended and charged with firearm-related offenses, though the juvenile’s identity has not been released due to age restrictions.
The school lockdowns that resulted from the shooting were as a precautionary measure determined by school officials, who quickly assessed the safety of the students.
Principal Shelton Mooney communicated to the school community that the lockdown was executed “out of an abundance of caution” to ascertain if any of the students had returned to the school after the incident.
This lockdown persisted for several hours, involving staff and various law enforcement agencies working collaboratively to identify students and review surveillance footage, attempting to gather additional information about what transpired.
Just a week following the shooting, another lockdown occurred at the high school when an airsoft gun was brought to campus, further heightening safety concerns among students and parents.
As the school community sought to address these safety issues, Montgomery County Public Schools officials, alongside county police and County Councilmember Andrew Friedson, convened a meeting to discuss the climate of school safety.
During this community meeting, numerous parents and students expressed their anxiety and frustrations surrounding school safety, stressing the need for effective responses to such incidents.
Junior Faris Smith shared her feelings about the normalization of lockdowns, stating, “There is that recurring fear, like, ‘OK, am I going to be the next victim of gun violence?’”
She emphasized that such ongoing concerns significantly impair her learning experiences, creating an unpredictable educational environment.
The recent shooting incident and the resulting lockdowns indicate a broader issue regarding safety and security in schools, highlighting the need for community action and dialogue in response to these ongoing challenges.
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