Anxious Columbia residents, still rattled from the shooting death of a convenience store clerk, fired off questions to police and rounded up community support at a Tuesday evening meeting in Running Brook Elementary School.
“This incident empowers us to connect as a neighborhood,” said Julie Phillips, a Running Brook mother of three young boys. “We need to communicate with our neighbors and get angry about it.”
Few details have emerged since the shooting of 40-year-old Alevtina Zhilina, a Belarus native, in the early-morning hours of April 26. This marked Howard County?s second killing this year.
Howard police officers have patrolled the neighborhood, and officers from other details have been dedicated to this case, said Capt. Tara Nelson, commander of criminal investigation.
“This is a very critical investigation,” she said.
When asked by one resident whether the shooting was during an attempted robbery, Maj. Merritt Bender said, “At this point, we?re looking at all aspects.”
Some residents said they wanted more adequate lighting along the roads and near the store.
When asked if the shooting will prompt changes in the store?s security policies, Earl Winterling, 7-Eleven area loss prevention manager, said, “We are always looking at ways to make changes and improvements.”
Employees closely follow security protocol, such as keeping no more than $30 cash on hand, Cotton said.
As for concerns the store should be open only during the day, Winterling said that effort “starts at the local level.”
Howard police are offering a reward of up to $30,000 for information resulting in the arrest and indictment of the killer. People are encouraged to call 410-313-3200 with any information about the case.
For Sylvia Cotton, the shooting was particularly close to home. She lives across the street from the store, where she works one day a week.
“I just couldn?t believe it,” she said.
Three employees of the store have quit since the shooting, she said. “They?re terrified.”
BY THE NUMBERS
Running Brook crime statistics
Assaults
2004: 3
2005: 6
2006: 20
Theft
2004: 64
2005: 76
2006: 80
Weapons violations
2004: 12
2005: 4
2006: 1
Vehicle thefts
2004: 20
2005: 9
2006: 9
Source: Howard Police Department
