Two men were fatally gunned down and two others were shot early Sunday morning behind an Odenton shopping center across from Fort Meade, and Anne Arundel police are trying to figure out a motive in the shootings.
Terence James Covington, 25, and DeMarcus Beans, 20, both of Annapolis, were found dead from gunshot wounds in the rear parking lot of North Odenton Plaza, and two other men, ages 23 and 30, were found suffering from gunshot wounds shortly after 1 a.m., police said.
Recommended Stories
One of those shot had left the scene, but crashed his vehicle a short distance from the shopping center.
Police would not release the names or addresses of the wounded men, who were taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore in critical but stable condition, police said.
Police do not have any suspects in the shootings.
Susanne Pierce, 32, of Millersville, said she arrived at the plaza about 30 minutes after the shootings to pick up her boyfriend from work.
“All of the cars of people leaving the bars were stopped and questioned by police,” Pierce said. “I don’t feel afraid coming here, but it’s not the greatest place to be at 2 a.m.”
The shopping center — which includes a bar and liquor store, a Thai restaurant and a pizza place — is on Route 175 across from Fort Meade, and is near the installation’s main gate. Just north of the shopping center is property where the fort plans to build 1 million square feet of secured office space in three years.
Along the strip are rundown buildings and numerous bars and taverns.
David Tibbetts, president of the Greater Odenton Improvement Association and a resident of the nearby Seven Oaks community, said a number of violent crimes have occurred along the Route 175 strip, which has been the labeled the “bane” of the Odenton area.
“This has to stop anyway, but between all the development plans for that stretch of highway, this can’t be tolerated,” Tibbetts said of the crimes.
Covington was on parole for a November 2006 assault charge, for which he had served six months behind bars.
A $2,000 reward is being offered, and Anne Arundel police ask anyone with information to call the Metro Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-866-756-2587 or text “MCS” and your tip to 274637. All callers can remain anonymous, and the tip line is open 24 hours a day.
[email protected]
