Shortly after midnight on October 29, 2025, two men were shot in the parking lot of the Westlake Dash-In on Smallwood Drive in Waldorf, Maryland. Officers arriving at the scene found 31-year-old Charles Arlando Hamilton, a Black male from Waldorf, suffering gunshot wounds; he was pronounced dead at the scene. A second man was flown to a trauma center with critical injuries.

Investigators describe the shooting as a targeted attack. Preliminary findings indicate an unknown suspect opened fire on Hamilton and the other victim while they were standing outside a vehicle near the gas pumps. The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is processing evidence and reviewing surveillance footage; no arrests or public suspect description have been released. A GoFundMe was set up to assist Hamilton’s family with funeral and memorial expenses.

If anyone saw activity near the Westlake Dash-In on Smallwood Drive around midnight on October 29, 2025, or has information about who targeted these men, contact the Charles County Sheriff’s Office or submit an anonymous tip to Charles County Crime Solvers.