Pat Dollard(CNN) – A gunman carrying “a large amount of ammunition” and apparent makeshift explosives killed two workers at a busy Columbia, Maryland, mall before turning a shotgun on himself, police said.
The shooting, which also left five others injured, capped a violent week which saw shootings or gun scares at American schools or shopping centers — ordinary places where people once felt safe.
“This should not happen at the Columbia Mall,” Howard County Police Chief Bill McMahon told reporters. “This shouldn’t happen anywhere.”
McMahon told reporters that the shooter apparently fatally shot a man and woman — both store employees — before shooting himself in a store on the second floor of The Mall in Columbia. The motive was unclear.
Police identified the dead employees as Brianna Benlolo, 21, of College Park, and Tyler Johnson, 25, of Ellicott City. Both worked at Zumiez, a shop that caters to skaters, where the shootings took place.
The body of the unidentified suspected shooter was found near a shotgun on the floor of Zumiez, police said. A large amount of ammunition was found near the body, leading investigators to suspect that he might be carrying explosives.
Late Saturday, police revealed that “two crude devices that appeared to be an attempt at making explosives using fireworks” were found inside the shooter’s bag inside the store. “Both were disabled,” police added.
The first 911 call about the shooting came at about 11:15 a.m. and officers were in the mall within two minutes, police said.The shooting “seems to have been very contained to that store and the area just outside,” McMahon told reporters.
Gov. Martin O’Malley said in a statement: “On behalf of the people of Maryland, I want to express my deepest condolences to the families of the victims and all those affected by this senseless act of violence. Protecting the public’s safety is our most solemn obligation.”
Police entered the mall within minutes of the first 911 calls and found three people dead. The scene was secure shortly before 1 p.m., police said.
Investigators said there were thousands of people in the mall at the time, with many hiding in fear behind store counters, in restrooms or fitting rooms for hours after the shooting stopped.
“Think about this, on a Saturday afternoon at the mall, how many people may be in there,” McMahon said. “Something like this happens and people run in many directions, and they also do what we train them to do — to shelter in place.”
A federal official briefed on the shooting told CNN that preliminary information indicates the shooting may have been related to a domestic dispute. Police, however, said haven’t yet reached that determination, saying investigators have not even determined whether the shooter and victims knew each other.
“We have no knowledge of that,” McMahon said. “We do not know yet what caused the incident.”
Five people were transported to Howard County General Hospital, a hospital spokeswoman said in a statement. They were treated and later released.
One patient had a gunshot wound to the foot; the others suffered injuries after the shooting. McMahon said one person had a seizure, another a sprained ankle.
In a statement, management of the mall said: “Our hearts & prayers are with everyone in the Columbia community. The Mall in Columbia will remain closed for the remainder of the day . … Please keep the community in your thoughts and prayers.”
A statement from Zumiez, the store where the shooting occurred, said management was arranging counseling for other employees.
“We are deeply saddened by the violence that has occurred this morning within our store in Maryland at The Mall in Columbia,” the statement said. “Our hearts go out to the victims and their families.”
Employees told CNN the gunfire erupted near a second-floor food court in the late morning, sending shoppers and workers running for cover. Keep Reading
Ever notice that we simply don’t have all these mall shootings, and school shootings, unless the current administration is pushing a gun-control agenda?
Why are all these “crazy people” suddenly sane when the White House isn’t pushing for gun control?
I made this argument many years ago here:
http://jollyrogerrevolution.blogspot.com/2009/04/shooters.html
Justin Bieber commented? LOL