Abdul Karim Thomas was 18 when he was shot and killed inside an apartment in Greenbelt, Maryland, on the evening of December 18, 2018. Police responded to reports of gunfire in the 9100 block of Edmonston Road and found Thomas suffering from a gunshot wound; he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Known to friends and family as Baby Swendle, Thomas was remembered as funny, goofy and caring; a friend said the last thing Thomas told them was to be safe. Investigators identified a suspect, 17-year-old Tavon Jonathan Barnes of New York City, who had previously lived in Greenbelt. A first-degree murder warrant was issued for Barnes and he was arrested in New York City pending extradition to Maryland to face charges.