UPDATE 1/26/14 12:33PM EST:
Police in Columbia Maryland have identified Darion Marcus Aguilar, 19, as the suspect in Saturday’s shooting at The Mall in Columbia.
USA Today reports:
Howard County Police Chief Bill McMahon said Aguilar, who lived in College Park, Md., fatally shot two people at a store before killing himself.
Police are trying to determine whether Aguilar knew either of the victims, who are identified as Brianna Benlolo, 21, of College Park, Md., and Tyler Johnson, 25, of Mt Airy, Md. Investigators have confirmed that Johnson had recently moved from Ellicott City.
The police chief says:
“We have not been able to verify any type or relationship between him and our victims. That is an open question.”
The shooter used a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun that he legally bought in December to kill the two victims. Aguilar arrived at the shopping mall by cab around 10:15 am and reports of gunshots came in an hour later.
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UPDATE 1/25/14 6:27PM EST:
The two victims who were shot this afternoon have been identified. The Police identified the two killed as Brianna Benlolo, 21, of College Park, Md. and Tyler Johnson, 25, of Ellicott City, Md. Both worked at Zumiez, a store on the upper level of the mall. We send our condolences to the friends and family of these two young people.
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UPDATE 1/25/14 2:29PM EST:
According to reports, police confirm shooter at Columbia Mall is dead of a self inflicted would and there are two other casualties.
Police say the area is now secure and they are working to identify the victims. The Baltimore Sun reports:
“We are confident it was a single shooter,” said Howard County Police Chief William J. McMahon, who spoke at the mall. McMahon said he could not say yet whether the incident was the result of a dispute between people who knew each or a random act of violence.
He declined to specify the gender or age of the shooter.
“We are working as quickly as possible to identify the victims,” McMahon said, adding that he understands that relatives and friends of those who were at the mall are anxious to find out whether they are safe.
McMahon said the shooting occurred in a store on the second floor. He would not identify the name of the store. Earlier reports had said the shooting had occurred in the Food Court.
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NBCWashington.com reported that initial reports indicated that between one and four people were shot.
Three witnesses described the gun as a shotgun, though police have not yet confirmed the weapon used.
The initial call that shots had been fired at the mall came in at about 11:15 a.m., Howard County police said. Police then entered the mall, telling many shoppers to shelter in place.
Customers in the mall have been reporting that the shopping center is in lock down mode and customers are being directed toward the AMC Theatre.
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Just moments ago, the Howard County Fire Department reported an active shooter at the mall in Columbia. The fire department is currently advising people to avoid the area and the Howard County Police have confirmed that they are responding to the shooting.
One person tweeting from the mall posted the above picture, and wrote just a few moments ago:
Holy shit somebody started shooting in Columbia mall rite in the food court
— Mind Your Business (@ihateassclownz) January 25, 2014
I’m still in the mall hiding out. Cops are walking around the mall still. This shit is wild
— Mind Your Business (@ihateassclownz) January 25, 2014
My co workers & a few other folk are ok. I don’t think they got the guy yet
— Mind Your Business (@ihateassclownz) January 25, 2014
They think the guy is still in the mall. Everybody just ran out so not all the stores are closed
— Mind Your Business (@ihateassclownz) January 25, 2014
Helicopters appeared to arrive on the scene:
#BREAKING: #Maryland Mall shooting. Reports of victims down. Helicopter landing on roof. PLEASE, #letsfixthis pic.twitter.com/MXjQKYi1Bx
— Moms Demand Action (@MomsDemand) January 25, 2014
Developing…
SOURCE: BaltimoreSun PHOTO CREDIT: Twitter
