Random assault at Addison Road Metro station kills commuter in Capitol Heights

A commuter’s morning walk to Addison Road Metro ended in death, turning one of Prince George’s County’s busiest transit gateways into the scene of a random killing that shook riders headed to work and school.

Prince George’s County police identified the victim as 61-year-old Stanley Hutchinson III. Authorities said the attack happened around 5:15 a.m. Thursday, April 16, 2026, outside the station entrance in Capitol Heights, when a stranger approached Hutchinson as he was heading to work. Charging documents say 30-year-old Nocholas A. Duncan allegedly grabbed a metal pipe from a pile outside the entrance, walked in and out of the station with it in a shoulder bag, then struck Hutchinson repeatedly after a brief interaction. Prosecutors said Duncan also poured an unknown liquid on Hutchinson and stomped his head and face area before leaving.

A second victim, 45-year-old Christopher D. Campbell, was found at the scene and survived with non-life-threatening injuries. Metro Transit Police said Duncan did not use the Metro system before the assault.

The attack shut down the station during the investigation. Blue and Silver Line trains bypassed Addison Road, and shuttle buses ran between Addison Road and Capitol Heights as police and transit crews worked the scene. The station serves riders from Seat Pleasant, Walker Mill and Pepper Mill Village, making the violence immediate not just for the platform, but for the neighborhoods that depend on it every day.

State’s Attorney Tara Jackson said Hutchinson appeared to be going to work at about 5 a.m. His family described him as a “gentle giant” and a hard worker. Prosecutors said Duncan is homeless and has an extensive criminal record dating back to 2012.

The arrest and murder charges brought a measure of clarity to the case, but not the larger question now facing county officials and transit leaders: what riders, bus users and nearby workers should reasonably expect from protection at a major Metro station before sunrise. In a corridor that moves thousands of Prince George’s County residents between home, work and the District, the killing at Addison Road has become more than a criminal case. It is a test of whether police visibility, station security and rapid response can match the risks people face when they step off the curb and head for the train.