WELL, KHIREE, AS YOU MENTIONED, POLICE HAVE IDENTIFIED THE VICTIM, A TEENAGER FROM COLUMBIA. POLICE ARE STILL SEARCHING FOR THE SHOOTER. THE MALL AT COLUMBIA REOPENED FOR BUSINESS SUNDAY FOLLOWING THE SHOOTING THAT CLAIMED THE LIFE OF 17 YEAR OLD ANGELO LITTLE OF COLUMBIA. HE DIED SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE SCENE. IT’S A TRAGIC NEWS. POLICE BELIEVE SOME TYPE OF DISPUTE TOOK PLACE BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE AROUND 615 SATURDAY EVENING, AND THEN WITNESSES HEARD AT LEAST ONE GUNSHOT. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED ON THE MALL’S LOWER LEVEL IN THE FOOD COURT AREA. THERE WAS LIKE PROBABLY LIKE A MINUTE OR TWO. WE’RE JUST LOOKING AROUND AND THEN EVERYBODY STARTS RUNNING. RUNNING. SO WE JUST TOOK A FIRE EXIT OUT AND EVERYBODY ELSE WAS LIKE RUNNING UP THE STAIRS. OTHERS FOUND SHELTER IN STORES. I LIKE FREAKED OUT, I WAS CRYING. ME AND MY FRIENDS, WE WERE LIKE, HUGGING EACH OTHER, LIKE SCARED. I TEXTED MY MOM. I TOLD HER I LOVED HER. IT’S HEARTBREAKING. LIKE PEOPLE ARE CRAZY AND ALL THESE KIDS WERE JUST RUNNING. I MEAN, THEY WENT FLYING OUT OF THERE AND WE HAD TO LOCK DOWN YOUR GATE. HATTIE GEORGE TELLS US SHE RAN FOR COVER WHEN SHE HEARD THE GUNFIRE. SHE RETURNED TO THE MALL SUNDAY. IRVING CRUZ AND HIS SON ALSO CAME HERE TO SHOP. IT’S VERY SAD. YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN HOWARD COUNTY? YOU KNOW, IT’S ONE OF THE BEST MALLS WE HAVE IN HOWARD COUNTY, YOU KNOW, AND IT’S SAD, ESPECIALLY FOR THE TEENAGERS. YOU KNOW, 13 YEAR OLD JOHAN CRUZ HAD ONE QUESTION. WHY WAS WHY DID THEY DO THIS? POLICE SAY THEY’RE STILL LOOKING FOR THOSE INVOLVED. METRO CRIME STOPPERS IS OFFERING A $5,000 REWARD TO HELP DETECTIVES FIND THE PERSON WHO PULLED THE TRIGGER. THIS WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT OUR INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE WAS A RANDOM INCIDENT OR AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY BELIEVE WAS INTENTIONAL. AND SO WE WANT TO REASSURE PEOPLE THAT AS TRAGIC AS THAT IS, THAT WE DO BELIEVE THAT IT WAS A VICTIM WHO WAS TARGETED. BP RETAIL, THE MALL MANAGEMENT RELEASED THIS STATEMENT. WE ARE EXTREMELY UPSET THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS CHOSE OUR CENTER FOR A TARGETED ACT OF VIOLENCE. OUR CENTER MAINTAINS A COMPREHENSIVE AND ROBUST SECURITY PROGRAM. THIS IS CONSTANTLY BEING EVALUATED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR SHOPPERS. POLICE AND MALL MANAGEMENT SAY THIS REMAINS AN ACTIVE INVESTIGATION. REPORTING FROM COLUMBIA BARR
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Shooting at The Mall in Columbia leaves teenager dead
'It just sounded like a chair fell or something. It was just really loud'
A teenager is dead after a shooting inside The Mall in Columbia on Saturday.According to Howard County police, there was an altercation at the mall's food court around 6:10 p.m. followed at least one gunshot. Angelo Little, 17, of Columbia, died at the scene, and no other injuries were reported."We are still working to confirm his identity; however, based on the preliminary information and evidence of the officers and detectives have located, we do believe that this victim was targeted," Howard County police spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn said. "This is a situation where we believe that there was an altercation between two people. This was not something that our investigators believe was a random incident or an accident. This is something we believe was intentional."Police said there were no signs of an active shooter."There is no ongoing danger," Llewellyn said. "We believe that the people involved in this incident left the mall property, and we are in the process of actively escorting people out of the mall to make sure they are safe and for their own personal security.”At 8:45 p.m., police were still evacuating shoppers who sheltered in place in the mall for hours while investigators spoke with witnesses."I was inside American Eagle and I heard a shot. I thought it was above me, but I realized that it was actually right next to me, and then, I saw people running, and that's when I just started running with the crowd," Jonathan Kim, a shopper, told 11 News. "It's tragic.""Our first thought was, 'No way this happens in Columbia. This isn't the kind of area where there would be like gunshots and stuff like that.' So, we just thought we were overreacting," Brandon Hall Delawder, a shopper, told 11 News. "I guess it just goes to show it can happen anywhere, doesn't matter the area."Witnesses told 11 News they heard one shot and then saw panicked crowds running."We thought something just fell. It just sounded like a chair fell or something. It was just really loud," Tara Little, a shopper, told 11 News. "It's kind of crazy to think about."Businesses in the mall knew what to do after the shooting based on learnings from after an active shooter incident in 2014.Police are offering a reward of up to $5,000. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 410-313-STOP or email HCPDcrimetips@howardcountymd.gov. You may remain anonymous.
COLUMBIA, Md. —
A teenager is dead after a shooting inside The Mall in Columbia on Saturday.
According to Howard County police, there was an altercation at the mall's food court around 6:10 p.m. followed at least one gunshot. Angelo Little, 17, of Columbia, died at the scene, and no other injuries were reported.
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"We are still working to confirm his identity; however, based on the preliminary information and evidence of the officers and detectives have located, we do believe that this victim was targeted," Howard County police spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn said. "This is a situation where we believe that there was an altercation between two people. This was not something that our investigators believe was a random incident or an accident. This is something we believe was intentional."
Police said there were no signs of an active shooter.
"There is no ongoing danger," Llewellyn said. "We believe that the people involved in this incident left the mall property, and we are in the process of actively escorting people out of the mall to make sure they are safe and for their own personal security.”
At 8:45 p.m., police were still evacuating shoppers who sheltered in place in the mall for hours while investigators spoke with witnesses.
"I was inside American Eagle and I heard a shot. I thought it was above me, but I realized that it was actually right next to me, and then, I saw people running, and that's when I just started running with the crowd," Jonathan Kim, a shopper, told 11 News. "It's tragic."
"Our first thought was, 'No way this happens in Columbia. This isn't the kind of area where there would be like gunshots and stuff like that.' So, we just thought we were overreacting," Brandon Hall Delawder, a shopper, told 11 News. "I guess it just goes to show it can happen anywhere, doesn't matter the area."
Witnesses told 11 News they heard one shot and then saw panicked crowds running.
"We thought something just fell. It just sounded like a chair fell or something. It was just really loud," Tara Little, a shopper, told 11 News. "It's kind of crazy to think about."
Businesses in the mall knew what to do after the shooting based on learnings from after an active shooter incident in 2014.
Police are offering a reward of up to $5,000. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 410-313-STOP or email HCPDcrimetips@howardcountymd.gov. You may remain anonymous.
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