COLUMBIA, MD – A suspect in a shooting outside the Mall in Columbia ran towards the open-space parking lot to evade Howard County Police in a shooting that happened moments ago outside near the public bus stop on Mall Ring Road. The Howard County Police Department is active on the scene. It is being reported that one or perhaps two people have been shot — one in the chest and the other in the head.
One victim has been pronounced dead on the scene by Howard County Emergency Medical Services.
UPDATE 1 : Second victim is in cardiac arrest according publicly available scanner traffic between Howard County Fire and Rescue and hospital personnel at Shock Trauma at University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore. The victim is being transported by air. This story is being updated as information comes in. The original text continues below.
UPDATE 2: HCPD report that police are on scene in the area of the Mall in Columbia for a shooting. Two are confirmed shot; no suspects in custody. This is NOT an active shooter threat, but we are asking people to avoid the area. We will provide updates on social media and there will be media availability at the scene at some point tonight.
UPDATE 3: HCPD released the following press release at 9:39 pm:
Howard County police are investigating a double shooting that occurred in Columbia this evening.
At approximately 5:52 p.m., police responded to the parking lot and bus loop area outside of Lidl in the 10300 block of Little Patuxent Parkway for a report of shots fired.
Responding officers located two victims with gunshot wounds. One was pronounced dead at the scene, the second was transported to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in critical condition. Both victims are juvenile males.
Preliminary investigation suggests the shooting was targeted, and there was one shooter. Detectives are continuing to interview witnesses and review surveillance video. The investigation is ongoing. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.
Anyone with information is asked to call 911.
HCPD Police Chief Gregory Der called a press briefing for 9:15 tonight. Chief Der confirmed the events described in the subsequent press release. He emphasized that the shootings were targeted and that there is no active shooter situation. He said that the shooting did not occur inside the mall and the mall did not go on lock down according to his knowledge.
Der could not confirm the exact location of the shooting, except that it took place outside The Mall in Columbia, located at 10000 Little Patuxent Parkway.
He confirmed that HCPD is looking for only one shooter. At the time of the briefing, Der had no description of the assailant or any indication whether the perpetrator is a juvenile.
The original article continues below:
The Howard Courier staff is currently gleaning information from publicly available scanner traffic. No information reported has been confirmed by the HCPD. If anyone has additional information, please contact Howard Courier via email at news@guilfordgazette.com.
Publisher’s Note: Maryland Newspapers LLC looks forward to providing regular coverage of news and events in Howard County, Maryland. Please support that effort by visiting HowardCourier.com daily, uploading our mobile app, and subscribing, if finances permit.
and then