Two women were shot ? one fatally ? in a busy shopping center in Parkville on Monday morning in what police believe was a targeted attack.
The women were shot multiple times while sitting in a gray sedan parked outside the Payless ShoeSource in the Parkway Crossing Shopping Center at 2425 Cleanleigh Drive.
“We do not believe this was a random shooting,” Baltimore County Police Cpl. Mike Hill said. “Our detectives believe these women were targeted.”
Several witnesses told police they heard the victims screaming as shots rang out. Witnesses also said one of the victims was pregnant.
“Our detectives have interviewed the witnesses at the scene. There were some screams heard,” Hill said, adding that police could not immediately confirm whether either women was pregnant.
The 24-year-old woman in the passenger seat of the sedan was pronounced dead at the scene. She became Baltimore County?s 15th homicide victim of the year. Last year, the county had 13 homicides at this time.
The second woman, also 24, was taken by helicopter to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center. She was in serious but stable condition Monday afternoon and is expected to live.
Police did not have a description of a suspect by Monday afternoon.
The shopping center?s security cameras may provide some help to detectives, police said.
“We?re taking a look at those cameras to see what helps tell the story of what happened here,” Hill said.
Dexter Qualls, a small-business owner on his way to the Home Depot in the shopping center, said the incident was depressing.
“It?s not something you expect to see on your way tothe department store,” Qualls said. “It?s sad. I?m sure these women had families.”
Police said the shooter may have fled the crime scene by car.
Baltimore County 2007 homicide victims
» Jan. 1: Arthur Griffen Brown, 48 *
» Jan. 6: Washeeda Ali Siahpoush, 44 *
» Jan. 28: Kevin Evans Jr., 17
» Feb. 10: Joseph Francis Hoffman, 51 *
» Feb. 27: Julian David Woody, 15 days *
» March 19: Chontae Waters, 31 *
» March 31: Jamar Mackie, 24 *
» April 9: Rami Adanda Martin, 24
» April 22: Cheyenne Joseph Hoopes, 27 *
» April 30: Edward Wayne Johnson, 25
» April 30: Michael Johnson, 31
» May 10: Richard Theodore Nock, Jr, 29 *
» May 18: Maurice Alfred Johnson, 27
» May 28: Shukura Akilah Abdullah Aleem, 21 *
» June 11: Unidentified female, 24
* Denotes case closed by arrest
Source: Baltimore County Police Department
