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Antonio Planas

Antonio

Antonio “Tony” Planas is an express reporter for The Banner’s Montgomery County team. His focus is on law enforcement and immigration issues. He previously worked on the breaking news desk at NBC News, where he juggled writing about the nation’s biggest stories of the day. Tony’s career has focused on shining a spotlight on underserved communities, including leading a team of reporters in Boston who unearthed the city’s more than 300 unsolved homicides spanning a decade and the sizeable disparity in police arrest rates for Black victims compared to white victims. Tony is a Michigan State alumnus who enjoys watching his beloved Spartans compete on the gridiron and basketball court.

The latest from Antonio Planas

Montgomery County Police release sketch of attempted kidnapping suspect
A woman escaped an attempted kidnapping on July 4 by jumping from a moving vehicle in Rockville, Montgomery County Police said on Tuesday while they released a composite sketch of the suspect.
Police identify victim of Rockville homicide
Nicholas Njuki, of Gaithersburg, was fatally shot after an argument with an unknown male suspect early Sunday morning at Quincy’s Potomac Bar and Grille in Rockville, Montgomery County Police said.
A Gaithersburg man was killed at a Rockville shopping center on Sunday after an argument inside a restaurant, Montgomery County Police said Monday.
State police investigating death of 18-year-old who jumped from a Capital Beltway overpass
Maryland State Police are investigating the death of an 18-year-old man who on Sunday jumped from an overpass on the interstate in Kensington after crashing into another vehicle with his car.
Caught on camera: Driver strikes woman in Baltimore, gets out to check car and drives away
Video footage provided to The Banner captured a hit-and-run in downtown Baltimore. The woman who was struck said she hopes the driver faces legal consequences.
Screenshot from surveillance footage shows a driver getting out to check his vehicle for damage before driving away after striking a woman walking in downtown Baltimore on Sept. 3, 2026.
Morgan State University’s marching band to perform at halftime of Giants-Cowboys game
Morgan State University’s Magnificent Marching Machine will perform at halftime Sunday night during the game between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys that will commemorate the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
Someone wearing a blue and orange marching band uniform plays a trumpet on a football field in front of the rest of the marching band.
8,000 gallons of gasoline aboard tanker truck that caught fire on I-795
A fuel tanker carrying 8,000 gallons of gasoline caught fire on Interstate 795 on Friday night, prompting a hazmat team to respond to help extinguish the fire, according to the Baltimore County Fire Department.
A fuel tanker carrying about 8,000 gallons of gasoline caught fire on I-795 near Westminster Pike in Reisterstown on Friday, September 11, 2026.
Police identify victim in White Oak fatal shooting
Montgomery County Police are investigating a fatal shooting in White Oak. It’s the county’s 10th homicide this year.
Montgomery County Police are investigating the fatal shooting of a man in White Oak on Thursday afternoon. It’s the county’s 10th homicide this year.
Fate of thousands of Marylanders from El Salvador uncertain as Trump mulls pulling protection
More than 170,000 Salvadorans, including thousands in Maryland, face an uncertain future as the U.S. considers ending a protection they have relied on for decades. The latest extension is set to expire Wednesday.
A sizable group of people protest outside of the District Courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland on April 4, 2025 for Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a man who was mistakenly deported by the Trump administration.
Gaithersburg officials may be warming to anti-ICE laws
Gaithersburg officials, once resistant to anti-ICE legislation, indicated Tuesday that they may be taking a different approach.
Tiffany Kelly, an activist and former mayoral candidate, talks about protecting immigrant rights ahead of a Gaithersburg City Council meeting on Tuesday.
No charges against police in fatal Gaithersburg shooting
Maryland’s attorney general on Tuesday announced his office will not seek charges against officers who fatally shot Elliott Powers at a Gaithersburg bus stop in July.
Maryland’s attorney general on Tuesday announced his office will not seek charges against officers who fatally shot Elliott Powers at a Gaithersburg bus stop in July.
2 incidents involving weapons put Magruder High School on ‘hold’ Thursday morning
Montgomery County Police on Thursday investigated two separate incidents involving weapons and charged a 15-year-old with assault and gun possession following an incident at Magruder High School in Rockville.
Montgomery County Police on Thursday investigated two separate incidents involving weapons and charged a 15-year-old with assault and gun possession following an incident at Magruder High School in Rockville.
Days after deadly crash, Montgomery County Police announce end of alcohol enforcement unit
The decision comes in the wake of a collision that killed two members of a family and in which the suspect was allegedly intoxicated.
Montgomery County Assistant Police Chief David McBain speaks about a shooting at Thomas S. Wootton High School at a press conference in Rockville on Monday evening.
Burtonsville man arrested in murder-for-hire case
Bekine Tibebu Ayele was arrested for first-degree murder for allegedly hiring a gunman to kill a Silver Spring man in 2025, according to Montgomery County Police.
Bekine Tibebu Ayele is charged with first-degree murder in connection with the homicide of Jonah Kimindu last year.
Rockville man charged with negligent manslaughter in March BMW crash
Daniel Danny Aguilar Medrano was driving a BMW more than 100 mph in March when the vehicle crashed, killing two of his passengers. He is charged with two counts of negligent manslaughter by vehicle, Montgomery County Police said.
Family mourns mother, daughter as 8-year-old remains in critical condition after Bethesda crash
A judge denied bond to the suspect in the fatal crash, in which two family members died and two were injured.
The Maryland State Police logo.
Pedestrian killed in Gaithersburg identified by police
Craig Anthony Budd was killed crossing the street Friday night when he was struck by a car, Montgomery County Police said on Monday
A Montgomery County Police vehicle is seen in Silver Spring, Maryland on Saturday, March 2, 2024.
Woman who scammed man out of more than $400K sentenced to 15 years in prison
On Friday, a Montgomery County Circuit Court judge sentenced 73-year-old Janey Sears to 15 years in prison for defrauding a Silver Spring man of more than $400,000.
A Montgomery County jury this week found  Janey Sears, left, guilty of a theft scheme that defrauded the victim, right, (face redacted) of more than $100,000. She faces up to 23 years in prison.
School bus driver who died in Gaithersburg crash identified by union
Rodney Givens was identified by the SEIU 500 as the Montgomery County Public Schools bus driver who had a medical emergency and died after crashing into a utility pole in Gaithersburg on Tuesday.
Car thefts spike in Montgomery County, bucking state and national trends
Hot spots for car theft include Silver Spring, Wheaton and Gaithersburg.
a row of parked cars
North Bethesda woman to pay $1K to police for AI prank that drew a police response
Moesha Gardener, 28, created an AI image that seemed to show a man on the couch in her North Bethesda apartment.
A North Bethesda woman has agreed to pay Montgomery County Police $1,000 to dismiss charges stemming from a prank.
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