Fight at child's birthday party led to Harford Mall shooting, suspect still on the run
BALTIMORE -- An armed and dangerous man continues to be on the run and two women were arrested in connection with a shooting at a child's birthday party on Sunday inside the Harford Mall, according to police.
A 42-year-old man was shot three times at the Harford Bounce Party Place after an altercation during a birthday party.
Wesley Larry Lyons Jr., 35, is the suspected shooter and has not been arrested, but there is now a $2,000 reward for any information leading officers to him.
An arrest warrant has been issued by the Harford County State's Attorney's Office. It lists first-degree attempted murder, assault, and reckless endangerment, among other crimes, as potential charges.
However, two women were arrested when police found the suspect's car near his home in Edgewood.
Lisa Gregg, Lyons' mother, and his alleged girlfriend, Lateia Green, were charged with accessory attempted murder. They are being held without bond at the Harford County Detention Center.
According to charging documents obtained by WJZ, Gregg and Green fled the scene with Lyons in his maroon SUV.
The documents accuse Gregg of being involved in an "altercation" with another woman where punches were thrown. Green is said to have attempted to pull Gregg out of the fight.
Through surveillance video, the state's attorney accuses Lyons of firing a handgun at the victim several times, "as if trying to intentionally kill" the man.
Both Green and Gregg left the scene with Lyons.
When police found Green and Gregg, the charging documents say Gregg provided a false address initially to officers. They call her a "flight risk" because she failed to provide a fixed home address.
The state's attorney's office alleges both Green and Gregg played a "significant role" in concealing the location of Lyons.
Gregg was denied bond during a hearing on Tuesday. Green was released on a $5000 bond and will serve home detention until the two are due back in court for the next hearing on July 2.
Bel Air Police Chief Charles Moore says Lyons is likely no longer in the area, and that a team of law enforcement is searching for him.
"It's cowardly," Moore said.
Police said there was a fight between family members when Lyons pulled out a gun and shot the man three times – twice in the leg and once in the hand. He was airlifted to a Baltimore hospital and is expected to be OK.
"There was a physical altercation between two females and he was involved," Moore said. "Again, it started to escalate. And then Mr. Lyons, you know, does a little reach round and fires a number of rounds."
The call was initially reported as an active shooter situation until police got a little more clarity on the dispute.
"We have children, we have other family members that could have been hurt or killed," Moore said.
Shoppers at the mall told WJZ they are worried about the future of the shopping center.
"Something like this wasn't even crossed my mind," shopper Anne Marie Gillespie Shaw. "I think about stuff, like things can happen. Things have been happening nowadays, anywhere. It was like this close to home."
Bel Air Police said several agencies, including the ATF and US Marshals Service, are searching for Lyons.
Moore said Lyons is no stranger to the criminal justice system.
"So, he's a coward," Moore said. "He needs to turn himself in fast."
Police say there is no threat to the public, but it is believed that Lyons is armed and dangerous.
Witnesses or anyone with additional information should contact Bel Air Police at 410-638-4500 or the Metro Crimestoppers anonymous tipline at 866-7LockUp.
