A Lansdale Borough teen has been charged as an adult after he allegedly pistol whipped an adult male who was walking home from the St. Stan’s fair with his girlfriend last Tuesday night.
Marquis Smith, 16, has been charged with felony counts of aggravated assault – attempt to cause serious bodily injury with extreme indifference and aggravated assault – attempt to cause bodily injury with a deadly weapon, along with misdemeanor charges of simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and possession of an instrument of crime, in connection with the Aug. 10 incident.
Police were dispatched to the Oak Wood Garden Apartments, located along the 400 block of East Main Street, at 9:35 p.m. for a report of a fight in progress. Arriving officers encountered an adult male victim on the ground suffering from two swollen eyes and a bleeding laceration, who stated that he had been "jumped” and pistol whipped by a group of teens as he and his girlfriend were walking home from the St. Stan’s fair.
The victim was transported from the scene via ambulance to Lansdale Hospital, where he was diagnosed with an orbital fracture, traumatic injury of head, facial laceration, facial contusion and multiple abrasions, according to the criminal complaint.
The following day, investigators took a recorded statement from the victim, who said he and his girlfriend were walking through the parking lot of the apartment complex when a group of approximately 10 people began yelling "do we have a problem,” the report states. The victim stated that the group began to follow him and his girlfriend, and when he turned around, he saw Smith with a gun in his waistband, according to the complaint.
The victim said he put his hands in the air, at which point Smith allegedly struck him in the right side of his head with the gun, causing the victim to fall to the ground. The victim said he was then kicked and punched in the head, hand and shoulder while on the ground, the report states.
Investigators pulled security footage from the apartment complex, which showed a group of five Black males and one white male with Smith as he followed the victim, police said. The group then attacked the victim for no apparent reason, police said.
The complaint states that the five Black males and one white male were believed to be between 16 and 17 years old. However, police told North Penn Now that they have been unable to identify the others involved, aside from Smith.
Court records show that charges were filed against Smith in adult court on Aug. 17, at which point he was arraigned by District Judge Ed Levine, who set bail at $10,000 cash. Smith was then taken to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility after failing to post bail.
In response to questions from North Penn Now, police said Smith was charged as an adult for several reasons, including:
In all instances, police said they believe Smith was in possession of a BB gun, and not an actual firearm. However, no weapon was recovered from the scene of the Aug. 10 attack, police said.
Additionally, police confirmed to North Penn Now that Smith was the teen accused of pistol whipping another person in broad daylight outside of the COVID-19 testing center on Mill Street in January. In that incident, Smith was taken into custody at gunpoint along the 500 block of West Main Street following a brief foot pursuit.
Lansdale Borough Police Chief Michael Trail said the firearm used in that incident turned out to be a BB gun, but added that its design made it appear as a real firearm.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using court records and the affidavit of probable cause.
See also:
Man Charged with Sexual Assault After Having Sex with Local Missing Teen, Police Say
Montgomery Township Man Charged After Flashing Stun Gun During Road Rage Incident, Police Say
Man, Woman Arrested in Connection with Bar Fight in North Wales
