Fruitland man convicted of assault, firearm possession

SALISBURY, Md. – A Snow Hill man has been convicted of assault and firearm offenses stemming from an incident last year.

On September 10, 2022, Davonte Purnell was outside of a residence in Fruitland when he reportedly grabbed a handgun from a nearby vehicle and pointed it at the victim. The victim contacted police after fleeing to a safe location. Officers were able to execute a search warrant at a residence that Purnell was known to frequent and were able to seize a black handgun matching the description the victim provided.

Purnell was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to previous convictions. Following a two-day jury trial last week, Purnell was convicted of first degree assault, firearm use in a crime of violence, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, and related offenses.

Sentencing was postponed pending completion of a pre-sentence investigation; Purnell will remain in custody pending sentencing.