Mass shooting near Maryland funeral home leaves 1 dead, 9 injured

A mass shooting near a funeral home in Baltimore County, Maryland, left one person dead and nine others injured Tuesday night, county officials said. 

Baltimore County Police Chief Robert McCullough said officers responded to reports of shots fired on Loch Raven Boulevard at around 7:15 p.m. on Tuesday. The scene was near Johnson Funeral Home in the community of Towson, according to Baltimore County Fire Chief Joe Dixon.

At the scene, an officer found a vehicle lying on its side in flames. McCullough said it appears the car was involved in an incident that caused it to crash and catch on fire, but further details were unavailable.

The county fire department was contacted and 10 victims were located in the area – one dead from a gunshot wound and nine injured. The majority of the victims were injured by gunfire, the police chief said.

One person is dead and nine others are injured after a mass shooting. ZUMAPRESS.com

The nine surviving victims were transported to area trauma centers in unknown conditions. Details on the victims and their injuries were not immediately available.

McCullough said the department is determining the circumstances surrounding the shooting, but said the incident was believed to be targeted and isolated.

“[It] appears that the individuals in this case somehow knew one another,” McCullough said. “This incident was intentional and targeted.”

No arrests had been made in connection with the shooting as of Tuesday night.

The shooting happened Tuesday night near a funeral home in Maryland. ZUMAPRESS.com

“We will leave no stone unturned and we will dedicate every resource to this,” the chief promised. “We don’t generally see this type of thing in our communities in Baltimore County. This is an isolated incident.”

Responding Baltimore County firefighters were able to mitigate the car fire, Dixon said, and provide aid to the victims at the scene before transport.

The majority of victims were hurt by gunfire. ZUMAPRESS.com

The fire chief said he was “proud of our responders,” and highlighted the partnership between the police and fire departments.

County Executive Johnny Olszewski, who is the Representative-elect for Maryland’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House, was also at the news conference and said he was shocked by the deadly shooting.

Nine victims were transported to trauma centers. ZUMAPRESS.com
Police believe the shooting was targeted and isolated but no arrests have been made. ZUMAPRESS.com

“This is an incident that is shocking, particularly for those of us in Baltimore County. These types of incidents are unheard of here, so it really shocks the conscious,” he said.

He added that the county is “fully committed” to ensuring both police and fire departments have full support and resources during the active investigation.

Tips on the shooting can be made anonymously to Metro Crime Stoppers of Maryland at 1-866-756-2587 and may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000.