Man dead after shooting inside Columbia Mall in Howard County
BALTIMORE -- A man is dead after a shooting at the Columbia Mall in Howard County, according to police.
COLUMBIA MALL: One person is deceased after being shot during an altercation inside the mall. There are no indications of an active shooter at this time. Will update.
— Howard County Police Department (@HCPDNews) July 27, 2024
Authorities said the shooting occurred during an altercation inside the food court of the mall.
Police said there were "no indications" of an active shooter.
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball commented on the incident, saying, "I am aware of the ongoing situation at the Mall in Columbia. Our Howard County Police Department is actively investigating, and will provide updates as information becomes available."
Sherry Llewellyn, Director of Public Affairs for Howard County Police, revealed more details in a media briefing following the incident.
Police said they responded to a call around 6:10 that there was gunfire inside the food court. When officers arrived, they found a male victim who was dead.
"We don't believe that this was a random incident, and we do believe the victim was targeted. We don't have any information about a history of a relationship between the two, but based on our preliminary evidence, this was not a random incident," Llewellyn said.
There were no other victims in the shooting.
Authorities did not name a suspect or the male victim.