PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY. MD – The Prince George’s County Police Department’s Major Crimes Division has charged Dennis Burkett, 51, of Brandywine, and Robert Burkett Jr., 50, of Temple Hills, with attempted murder of a police officer and other offenses. This follows an officer-involved shooting in Upper Marlboro on January 21, 2024.
Around 1:50 am, Clinton Station patrol officers responded to a suspected burglary at a closed gas station on Crain Highway. They found a burgundy van, similar to one used in a nearby burglary earlier, backed into the station’s front door. As the officers approached, the suspects fled in the van. During the escape, one officer was dragged across Crain Highway and South Osborne Road, falling from the van’s side.
After a 30-minute pursuit, the van was disabled at Branch Avenue and Bonita Street in Temple Hills, leading to the suspects’ arrest. Dennis Burkett, the driver, was hospitalized and later released. The injured officer also received treatment for minor injuries.
A search at the gas station revealed burglary tools and tampering with the ATM. Detectives are investigating links between these suspects and other area burglaries, noting similar methodologies in over a dozen cases.
Robert Burkett confessed to the burglary, fleeing police, and stealing the van from a Clinton church. The suspects face charges including second-degree attempted murder, assault, breaking and entering, auto theft, and more. They are held without bond by the Department of Corrections.
