The second homicide in Howard County this year occurred in the Huntington neighborhood in the village of King?s Contrivance in Columbia.
Phil Marcus, the King?s Contrivance representative on the Columbia Association Board of Directors, said such an incident is unusual for Huntington, where several of the county?s top elected officials reside.
“This is a stable community,” Marcus said. “I?ve lived here six years, and I?ve never heard of a homicide. It?s a strange thing to happen.”
Howard County Council Guy Guzzone, D-District 3, said he?s lived in the village for 15 years and can?t remember such a shooting ever occurring before.
“It happened right around the corner,” he said. “It?s concerning. We?re waiting to hear all the details, so we?ll have a better sense of what really happened.”
Howard County police said a man from the village gunned down another man after an argument in front of the Kings Crossing apartments? community entrance Friday night.
Howard County police have released scarce facts about the incident ? but allege that 28-year-old Michael Dean Jackson, of the 8900 block of Skyrock Court in Columbia, shot and killed Anthony James Owen-Smith, 20, of the 8800 block of Howard Hills Drive in Savage.
Police have charged Jackson with first-degree murder in Owen-Smith?s death.
Owen-Smith was taken to Howard County General Hospital suffering from a gunshot wound to his chest area. He died at the hospital, police said. The two were allegedly involved in an “ongoing argument,” police said.
At a glance
Homicides in Howard County
» 4 in 2005
» 1 in 2004
» 7 in 2003 and 2002
» 5 in 2001
Source: Howard County Police Department
