Victim Dies After Gang Attack In Wheaton, 2 Additional Suspect Arrested

WHEATON, Md. (WUSA) -- The victim of a shocking beating and stabbing attack in Wheaton has died and two additional suspects have been arrested in the wake of the incident, Montgomery County Police announced Thursday afternoon.

Police say the suspects are linked to a gang that operates in the Wheaton area. Police Chief Thomas Manger identified the gang as the "Latin Kings" in an interview with WUSA Thursday morning.

Earlier, five young men were charged in connection with the July 7th attack. The latests arrests bring the total to seven suspects in custody.

Police say the victim, 21-year old Edwin Umana of the 13100 block of Bluhill Road in Wheaton was beaten and stabbed.

The incident began shortly before 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, when the victim was walking in the 13100 block of Matey Road. Police say he called out to some women on the front porch of a residence, and got into a confrontation with a man who emerged from the home. Police say the other suspects also came from the house and chased the victim a couple of blocks down to the intersection of Bluhill Road and Dean Road where he was beaten and stabbed in the head.

Wednesday police announced that detectives had made five arrests. The suspects in the case range in age from 16 to 21-years-old, but all were charged as adults. Police say the five suspects charged in the attack are believed to be affiliated with a local gang, but that the victim is not believed to be a member of a gang.

Police arrested Christian Salmeron, 20-years-old, of the 4300 block of Ferrara Drive in Wheaton; Hirbin Bladimir Guerrero, 16-years-old, of the 11300 block of Schuylkill Road in Rockville; Jose A. Hernandez, 16-years-old, of the 4300 block of Ferrara Drive in Wheaton. Police have also charged Deshaun Budd-Bey, 18-years-old, of the 12800 block of Bluhill Road in Wheaton, and Jose Vasquez, 21-years-old, of the 4400 block of Sigsbee Road in Wheaton. Vasquez has been identified as the suspect who stabbed the victim.

Police say the incident is being investigated as having some gang relationship, but the attack does not appear to be motivated by gang affiliation. All of the suspects have been charged as adults with attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault, and conspiracy to commit first-degree assault. The investigation is continuing.