Montgomery County police are investigating whether two recent shooting deaths in Olney are linked.
One man was shot to death while walking home from work on Monday afternoon, three days after another man was fatally shot in his home.
Detectives have uncovered no obvious ties between the crimes thus far, said Montgomery County police spokeswoman Lucille Baur. But she said investigators are looking for potential links because the two slayings happened just days apart, both involved a gun, and homicides are rare in Olney.
Baur said police are conducting ballistics tests to determine whether the same gun was used in both crimes.
In the most recent slaying, 41-year-old Punyasara Gedara was fatally shot while walking on the 3400 block of North High Street around 4:15 p.m. Monday.
Gedara was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police are looking for a vehicle believed to be the getaway car, described as an older-model beige Toyota Camry, which was seen driving on North High Street toward Georgia Avenue at the time people reported hearing gunshots.
Gedara had arrived in the United States from Sri Lanka about six months ago, Baur said.
Authorities are investigating whether Gedara’s killing is linked to the shooting death of 81-year-old Nazir Ahmed.
Ahmed, 81, was found unresponsive in his home on the 19500 block of Olney Mill Road shortly after 5 p.m. Friday.
Ahmed had last been seen at the Muslim Community Center, located at 15200 New Hampshire Ave. in Silver Spring, around 6 p.m. March 16. When Ahmed didn’t show up at the center Friday, a friend went to his home, found him and called police.
Police said Tuesday that Ahmed was shot to death and authorities are investigating his death as a homicide.
No motive has been identified in either homicide. Baur said police don’t know whether the victims were targeted or whether the attacks were random. No suspect descriptions were available.
The slayings happened about 2 1/2 miles apart.
Anyone with information is asked to call police at 240-773-5070 or Crime Solvers at 866-411-8477 or 240-773-8477. Tipsters can also send a text message that includes “MCPD” and the tip to 274637.
