Mall Shooting in Maryland Puzzles the Nation
At around 10:15 on Saturday morning, 19 year-old Darion Marcus Aguilar entered the Mall in Columbia, Maryland plotting what would become the next shooting in America’s never ending chain of attacks.
It was at 11:15 when Aguilar fired anywhere from six to eight shots from his Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun in a skateboard shop killing two, injuring five more and finally taking his own life.
Both victims worked at the shop, however, no motives have yet been found and it is unclear if Aguilar even knew these two individuals. Police say one of the victims lived in College Park along with Aguilar but no links have been made.
Police also found a backpack containing explosives made by Aguilar. Howard Country Police Chief Bill McMahon described the explosives as, “homemade devices consisting of flash powder and household items. So they were not very sophisticated,” during a News Conference on CNN early Sunday.
The discovery of explosives demanded a more thorough search of the mall in order to re-establish confidence in the safety of the environment. About 20 explosive-detecting canine teams inspected the market, no explosives were found.
McMahon proceeded to speak at the press conference to define the importance of the mall to the people of Columbia. “It really is kind of the main street for Columbia and one of the things Howard County is known for.” It is because of this that authorities will be working hard to have the mall back open tomorrow.