A 20-year-old man was arrested in connection to his alleged involvement in what law enforcement described as a road rage incident on the Fourth of July that left one dead and multiple injured in Taneytown.

Davon Joseph Dabbs was taken into custody at his home in Taneytown and brought to Carroll County Central Booking on Saturday evening, according to the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.

He is facing charges of first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault and another two counts of second-degree assault.

The night of the shooting

The incident unfolded Thursday night just off Taneytown Pike near Bear Run Road and Runnymede Road. Authorities responded around 10 p.m., and dispatch calls reviewed by WJZ shed some light on the shooting.

“Call taker can hear a physical fight in progress,” the dispatcher said in the recording. “The call taker is hearing sounds. Unsure if it’s gunshots or fireworks.”

The number of injuries quickly grew.

“We’ve got one shot in the leg and one shot in the face, and it sounds like a third now shot as well,” according to dispatch audio from Broadcastify.

Authorities said a car and pickup truck were traveling along Route 140 when the road rage incident began. Investigators learned the situation turned physical when Dabbs and his 26-year-old passenger, also of Taneytown, pulled off the highway and began fighting 36-year-old Christopher Patrick Moore.

During the fight, Moore’s 33-year-old fiancee pulled up to the scene and exited her vehicle with a legally owned and carried handgun, authorities said. She announced she had a handgun, hoping this would de-escalate the assault, she told investigators.

Instead, Dabbs rushed at her and assaulted her in an attempt to gain possession of the firearm, resulting in Dabbs being shot in the leg, authorities said.

At one point, Dabbs was able to gain possession of the handgun. He then fired multiple rounds, one of which struck his passenger in the hand and two of which struck Moore in the chest, according to authorities.

Moore’s fiancee suffered a broken jaw and injuries to the head and face. She was transported to a local hospital for medical treatment.

Dabbs and his passenger were transported to a regional hospital for medical treatment for their injuries, which were not life threatening.

Moore was pronounced dead at the scene. None of the other passengers of any of the vehicles were injured.

‘Usually very safe around here’

The shooting occurred in a rural area on a dead-end road. Neighbors said nothing like this has happened there before, and some thought the gunfire was fireworks from the Fourth of July.

“It’s like you can’t believe it. It’s just so odd for this area. It’s usually very safe around here. It’s strange,” said Gary Combs from Carroll County. “It’s just sad.”

If anyone has additional information about this incident, please contact Detective Ehrhart at 410-386-2599 or jehrhart@carrollcountymd.gov.

WJZ is a media partner of The Baltimore Banner.