Friday, June 10, 2022 – Three people were killed and one person was injured Thursday, June 9 at a Maryland manufacturing plant by a co-worker who was also injured following a gunfire exchange with a state trooper.
Deputies with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of an active shooter at yhe Columbia Machine factory in Smithsburg around 2:30 p.m.
Officers from the Smithsburg Police Department arrived on the scene first and located an injured victim outside of the business,” the sheriff’s office said. “As deputies arrived on the scene, 3 additional victims, all of whom were deceased, were located inside the business.”
The deceased victims were identified Thursday night as Mark Alan Frey, 50; Charles Edward Minnick Jr., 31; and 30-year-old Joshua Robert Wallace.
The injured victim was identified as 42-year-old Brandon Chase Michael.
Police only identified the suspect as a 23-year-old West Virginia man.
He fled the scene prior to the arrival of authorities but a shootout ensued after he was spotted resulting in the injury of the gunman and trooper.
Both were taken to a hospital for medical treatment.
The troopers involved in the shooting will be placed on administrative duty until the investigation is complete, according to Maryland State Police protocol.
Investigators recovered an unspecified semi-automatic handgun believed to have been used at both crime scenes.
After the shooting, a local hospital was also placed on lockdown at 3:50 p.m. local time and was lifted a few hours later. The suspect remains under police guard at the medical center.
U.S. Rep. David Trone, a Maryland Democrat said he was monitoring the situation.
“Our office is in contact with officials on the ground. If you’re local, please stay away from the area as law enforcement responds,” he tweeted.
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