The Howard County Fire Department and Howard County police and other police agencies responded about 11:15 a.m. EST to an active shooter situation at the Mall in Columbia, 10300 Little Patuxent Pkwy, Columbia, MD. Early several people were reported injured, the Howard County Police confirmed on their Twitter account that three people were killed. A witness reported that the shooter stood above the food court and fire a weapon down into the food court. Early on police did not confirm that the incident occurred at the food court. The shooter is reported to have killed himself, and is one of the three that are reported dead. Police reported about 1:19 p.m. EST Saturday that they believe a subject found near a gun and ammunition is likely to have been the shooter.
Three people confirmed dead at Columbia Mall. Victims unknown at this time.
— Howard County Police (@HCPDNews) January 25, 2014
The Howard County Police early in the incident confirmed a shooting at the mall, but there were no details of any injuries, or information about injured victims. By 1:20 p.m. police confirmed that only two minor injuries that were not directly related to the shooting were reported. One person suffered a seizure and another person suffered a sprained ankle.
The Mall in Columbia was in lockdown and shoppers and some shoppers were evacuated toward the AMC Theater. Shoppers that escaped the mall early in the incident reported hearing gunfire before they left the mall.
Helicopter landing on roof.
#ColumbiaMallShooting pic.twitter.com/hzdunLCZK4
— DaAnGrYASiAN™ (@DaAnGrYASiAN) January 25, 2014
A bunch of people just came out.
#ColumbiaMallShooting pic.twitter.com/t20kcJVHtc
— DaAnGrYASiAN™ (@DaAnGrYASiAN) January 25, 2014
#ColumbiaMallShooting possibly located inside Sears?? pic.twitter.com/8xX8Qn7yAe
— DaAnGrYASiAN™ (@DaAnGrYASiAN) January 25, 2014
Holy crap! Shooting inside Columbia Mall! Everyone being evacuated. pic.twitter.com/xNzuEV44A2
— DaAnGrYASiAN™ (@DaAnGrYASiAN) January 25, 2014
The Mall in Columbia is about 25 miles northeast of Washington D.C.