America's gun epidemic hits Maryland again, leaves 1 dead
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A shooting at the Mall at Prince George's in Maryland leaves 1 dead, and the suspect is on the run.
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Police arrive at the Mall at Prince George's (NBC4)
A man was shot dead in a shooting at the Mall at Prince George's in Hyattsville, Maryland, Thursday afternoon.
The incident is said to be a result of an apparent fight in the mall's food court a few minutes after 4 pm, on 3500 East-West Highway in Hyattsville, Maryland. However, local police do not suspect it was a random act and announced that there was no active threat.
The suspect or suspects are believed to have fled the scene, but police are still investigating witnesses, as there is no information yet regarding the suspects or the motive.
Hyattsville Police Chief Jarod Towers said, “Our officers, our local partners responded quickly and made contact with witnesses, made contact with our partners in mall security and obtained video footage.”
The mall's management released a statement, commenting, "The Mall at Prince George’s experienced a shooting incident this afternoon inside the mall. While this is an isolated incident, we are nonetheless troubled. We are thankful for the PGCPD’s prompt response. We will continue to work collaboratively with them on their investigation."
The mall was shut down after the shooting occurred but is expected to reopen on Friday.
Maryland has also received its own share of mass shootings when a 23-year-old suspect killed three employees at a factory in Smithsburg using a semi-automatic handgun.
The gun epidemic has no end in sight
The same mall has previously experienced two homicides this year, one back in March in which two 16-year-old boys were arrested after DaQuan Dockery, 22, was shot and killed inside a store in the mall.
Hyattsville Police Chief Jarod Towers commented, “The mall has been aggressively stepping up security efforts. We have a very strong partnership here with the mall security and mall management.”
The US has witnessed a gun epidemic for the past year that has not only rocked the nation but rocked the world, especially with the Uvalde mass shooting that left 19 children and 2 teachers dead. In another instance, a gunman had entered Top's supermarket in Buffalo, New York, killing 10 in what was revealed to be racially motivated.
Gun violence has claimed the most lives in the United States, with more than 24,000 people shot dead since the start of the year, including 13,000 by suicide, according to the Gun Violence Archives website.
Despite the alarming rate of gun violence, the US Supreme Court ruled in late June that American citizens have the fundamental right to carry arms in public, but a recent poll showed that 68% of voters support stricter gun control laws.
