State's Attorney: Man who stabbed teen during group attack in Elkton acted in 'perfect self-defense'

CECIL COUNTY, Md. — We're learning more about a tragic incident in Elkton where a teenage boy was killed.

Elkton Police Chief Carolyn Rogers, along with other officers and the Cecil County State's Attorney, addressed the media Thursday and shared more about what led to the incident that cost 14-year-old Jordan Collins, a Hollingsworth Manor resident, his life.

On July 18, Collins was dropped off at an area hospital in the bed of a pickup truck by four of his friends. Collins was found suffering from a stab wound and was immediately placed in the hospital's care.

READ: 14-year-old boy killed in stabbing after group attack on disabled man in Elkton

The friends immediately left after dropping him off and never gave a statement to the police.

Police tracked down the friends who said they were unaware of how he was stabbed, but told them where the crime scene was, which was later determined to be Road C between Road 12 and Road 13.

At the scene, detectives found blood in the roadway and a split piece of a 2x4 with blood on it.

The Hollingsworth Manor community informed police that the person who stabbed Jordan was a man, known in the community as "Ty," who police later learned was a disabled man due to having an amputated left arm.

Surveillance video shows a group of nine people following Ty westbound on Road C when a 'large physical confrontation' broke out.

Investigators say the video shows Collins in the group initiating the fight by walking up to Ty and assaulting him. The group followed behind Collins and also began to pursue and assault Ty.

Per police, the group was using nearby objects, a 2x4 and a shovel, to assault Ty.

Collins is seen in the video wielding the 2x4, while an unidentified person was seen wielding the shovel, which struck Ty multiple times.

During the encounter, Ty pulled a knife and stabbed Collins in the neck.

As police continued to investigate, members of the community told them Ty had a previous encounter at a Wawa in the 300 block of West Pulaski Highway.

After reviewing the camera footage, police say that the encounter involved Ty and three unidentified females who were "not allowing him to leave the Wawa."

The females initially confronted Ty and, police say, were seen as the aggressors. Two unidentified males later drove into the Wawa and would also confront Ty.

Police say that throughout the encounter, Ty did not stab or assault any of the females or males.

It was later discovered those three females were among the group who initiated the assault on Ty. One of them joined the assault, while the other two just watched.

Those individuals who either were involved in the assault of Ty or watched the assault of Ty claimed they had no involvement and did not give police any information.

Police determined the incident was gang-related and that Ty owed the group a "small amount of money" for a drug debt.

Cecil County State's Attorney James Dellmyer said that during the encounter with Collins and the group, Ty exercised self-defense.

"Under Maryland law, where Ty retreated, attempted to de-escalate, did not initiate the conflict, and was assaulted by many of these individuals, he properly used self-defense by arming himself with a pocket knife," State's Attorney Dellmyer said. "It's clear that self-defense in this moment is perfect, and Ty did not commit any criminal offenses. Therefore, my office has declined prosecution against Ty for any of his conduct as he acted in perfect self-defense."

He also said Ty did not want to press charges against the group involved in his attack; however, indictments were handed down on Wednesday against three people who sought retaliation against Ty.

Those individuals were charged with possessing a destructive device and manufacturing a destructive device, specifically a Molotov cocktail.

To end the news conference, Chief Rogers reflected on the loss of life, while also stating that the broader circumstances that put Collins in harms way cannot be ignored.

"The Hollingsworth Manor community deserves better. The Elkton community demands better. Together, we must work towards ensuring that no other family suffers such a loss. We ask the community to honor Jordan's memory by rejecting the reckless behavior that endangers lives," Chief Rogers said.