WALDORF, Md. — On June 20, 2025, Charles County Sheriff’s Office Judicial Services Section officers arrested Dejon Elijah Warren, 25, of Waldorf, in connection with a May 18 incident involving gunfire and animal cruelty. Warren faces charges of reckless endangerment, felony animal cruelty, violation of probation, and firearms violations. He is being held without bond at the Charles County Detention Center.
The incident occurred in the 4500 block of Ruston Place in Waldorf, where officers responded to reports of gunfire. Upon arrival, they learned a dispute had erupted between neighbors. During the altercation, Warren retrieved an AR-15-style rifle, prompting the other individual to retreat into their home. Warren then shot and killed a dog tied up outside the victim’s residence before fleeing the scene.
Following an investigation, authorities identified Warren as the suspect and obtained an arrest warrant. The Sheriff’s Office Judicial Services Section located and apprehended him on June 20. The charges stem from the reckless use of a firearm in a residential area, the killing of the animal, and Warren’s existing probation status, which prohibited firearms possession.
The Charles County Sheriff’s Office has not released further details about the dispute or the victim’s identity, citing the ongoing investigation. The felony animal cruelty charge reflects Maryland’s laws protecting animals from intentional harm, which can carry significant penalties. Reckless endangerment, a misdemeanor in Maryland, addresses actions that create a substantial risk of serious injury or death to others. The firearms violations likely relate to Warren’s possession of the rifle while on probation, though specific details about his prior convictions were not disclosed.
The Charles County Detention Center, where Warren is detained, is a local facility housing pre-trial and short-term inmates. His lack of bond indicates the court’s assessment of him as a potential flight risk or danger to the community. A preliminary hearing will determine the next steps in the judicial process, though no date has been announced.
Maryland’s animal cruelty laws, strengthened in recent years, aim to deter acts like the one Warren is accused of committing. The state’s reckless endangerment statute, often applied in cases involving firearms, underscores the legal system’s emphasis on public safety in densely populated areas. The combination of charges against Warren highlights the multifaceted nature of the incident, blending personal conflict, illegal weapon use, and harm to an animal.
The Sheriff’s Office encourages anyone with additional information to contact them, though no specific tip line was mentioned in the provided details. The investigation remains active, with potential for additional charges as new evidence emerges.
