CALIFORNIA, Md. – Authorities have identified the 19-year-old man shot by a sheriff’s deputy Wednesday evening as Nathaniel Mekhi Golphin of California, Md., and announced a slate of felony charges filed against him in connection with the incident.
Golphin remains hospitalized in stable condition following the shooting, which occurred around 6:10 p.m. outside a retail store in the San Souci Plaza shopping center. According to the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, Golphin fled when deputies approached him with a search warrant. During the foot chase, he reportedly produced a firearm, prompting one deputy to fire a single round that struck him.
That deputy has been identified as Detective Corporal Warren Forinash, an eight-year veteran of the agency. In line with departmental policy, Forinash has been placed on administrative leave while internal investigations are conducted by both the Office of Professional Responsibilities and the Criminal Investigations Division.
Investigators say Golphin was in possession of a loaded firearm with a defaced serial number at the time of the incident. Charges filed include illegal possession of a regulated firearm and ammunition, carrying a loaded handgun in public, and possession of a firearm by a person under 21. He also faces charges related to a prior violent felony conviction.
Officials confirmed that the Independent Investigations Division (IID) of the Maryland Attorney General’s Office was notified as required by law, but the agency declined to take over the case.
The sheriff’s office is asking any witnesses who have not yet spoken with investigators to contact Detective Andrew Burgess at 301-475-4200, ext. 8041, or by email at Andrew.Burgess@stmaryscountymd.gov.
No other injuries were reported, and the investigation is ongoing.
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