Rafael Jeremias Brewster, 32, of Beltsville was found shot on January Drive, and police have announced no arrest or suspect information.
WHITE OAK, Md. — Montgomery County police have identified Rafael Jeremias Brewster, 32, of Beltsville as the man killed in an afternoon shooting on January Drive, a homicide that remains under investigation with no one in custody.
Police said the county’s Emergency Communications Center received a report of a shooting at about 2:05 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10. Third District officers and Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service personnel responded to the 1700 block of January Drive, where they found Brewster in the roadway with an apparent gunshot wound. First responders attempted lifesaving measures, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators with the Montgomery County Police Department’s Major Crimes Division Homicide Unit responded and began examining the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Police have not released information explaining what led to the gunfire, and no motive has been announced.
Brewster’s body was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for an autopsy. Police said the medical examiner determined the manner of death was homicide. Authorities publicly identified Brewster after his family had been notified.
The shooting occurred in the White Oak area near the intersection of January Drive and February Circle, just off Route 29. Officers remained in the neighborhood for hours after the shooting as investigators searched for witnesses, evidence and surveillance video that could help establish what happened.
The killing was the 10th homicide reported in Montgomery County this year, according to local reporting based on police information. It also ended a stretch of more than two months without a reported homicide in the county. The previous homicide was reported in June.
Police have released no description of a suspected shooter and have not said whether investigators believe Brewster was targeted. No weapon recovery or other evidence connecting a specific person to the killing has been announced publicly.
The investigation remains active. Police are seeking information from anyone who may have witnessed the shooting or has information that could help homicide detectives identify the person responsible.
Author note: Last updated September 13, 2026.