UPDATE – St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney Richard Fritz announces that on March 30, 2022, Nikko Mason-Coates (Date of Birth August 22, 2000) was found guilty by a St. Mary’s County jury of First Degree Assault, Second Degree Assault, and Use of a Firearm during the commission of a Felony/Crime of Violence.
Mr. Fritz would like to thank Assistant State’s Attorney Sean Moran for the successful prosecution of this case and also the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Department for their exemplary police work generally; more specifically, Mr. Fritz would like to thank CPL Austin Schultz, lead investigator; SGT Brian Fennessy; CPL James Bare; and DFC Daniel Sidorowicz for their participation in this trial to secure Mr. Mason-Coates’ conviction.
Mr. Mason-Coates has been remanded to the St. Mary’s County Detention Center pending the preparation of a pre-sentence investigation. Mr. Mason-Coates faces the possibility of 45 years of incarceration for his shooting of a young man in the Wildewood neighborhood on June 12, 2020, and it is expected that his sentencing will be in May of 2022.
UPDATE: LEONARDTOWN, Md. – During the course of the investigation by detectives from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division, Nikko Muhammad Mason Coates, age 19 of Mechanicsville, was identified as the suspect responsible for the shooting.
Investigation determined on June 12, 2020 the victim confronted Coates about property that Coates had stolen. During the confrontation, Coates shot the victim in the abdomen and fled the scene. On June 24, 2020, Coates was located in Lexington Park and arrested. Coates was transported to the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Leonardtown and charged with the following:
- Attempted 1st Degree Murder
- Attempted 2nd Degree Murder
- Armed Robbery
- Robbery
- Loaded Handgun in Vehicle
- Handgun in Vehicle
- Firearm Use/Violent Crime
- Assault 1st Degree
- Assault 2nd Degree
- Theft
Coates remains incarcerated at the detention center on a no-bond status.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact Detective Austin Schultz at (301) 475-4200 extension 71953 or by email at Austin.Schultz@stmarysmd.com.
Original Release: CALIFORNIA, Md. – On June 12, 2020, at approximately 8:30 p.m., deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 23000 block of Sugar Maple Court in California, for the reported shooting. A male victim, age 19 of Mechanicsville, was located on scene and determined to have sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen. The victim was transported via helicopter to an area trauma center for treatment.
Anyone in the area at the time of the shooting, or anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact Detective Daniel Sidorowicz at (301) 475-4200 extension *78043 or by email at Daniel.Sidorowicz@stmarysmd.com.
Citizens may remain anonymous and contact Crime Solvers at (301) 475-3333, or text a tip to “TIP239” plus their message to “CRIMES” (274637). Through the Crime Solvers Program tipsters are eligible for an award of up to $1,000 for information about a crime in St. Mary’s County that leads to an arrest or indictment.