Police believe a 23-year-old worker at Columbia Machine in Smithsburg went to his workplace and opened fire Thursday, killing three and wounding another.
The suspect then fled south on Mapleville Road, where he got into a shootout with Maryland State Police troopers. The suspect and an officer were wounded.
Police have released some of what they know about the mass shooting, including a general outline of the events and the names of the victims.
Still, there are many things we don’t know, including the identity and motive of the shooter.
Smithsburg active shooter
The report of the active shooter came to police at about 2:30 p.m. Thursday at the former Bikle Manufacturing, 12921 Bikle Road.
The company was purchased by Vancouver-based Columbia Machine Inc., in 2019. It is a big-board mold maker and repair services provider, according to its website.
Smithsburg police were first to arrive, according to Washington County Sheriff Doug Mullendore. They “located an injured subject outside the business in a field,” he said.
That injured person was Brandon Chase Michael, 42. He was taken to Meritus Medical Center near Hagerstown. His condition and the nature of his injuries was not known early Friday.
The deceased were identified as:
- Mark Alan Frey, 50
- Charles Edward Minnick Jr., 31
- Joshua Robert Wallace, 30
Members of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday were meeting with and offering support to the families of those killed and wounded, according to Sgt. Carly Hose, the department spokesperson.
She also said Smithsburg Valley Baptist Church, which is near Columbia Machine on Bikle Road, put its day care facility on lockdown during the incident. The children were not harmed.
Mapleville Road shootout wounds two
The suspect fled the scene before police arrived.
Sheriff’s deputies “quickly put out a broadcast for a vehicle and a suspect and a sense of direction,” said Lt. Col. Bill Dofflemyer of Maryland State Police.
Three state police troopers were driving north on Mapleville Road (Md. 66) toward the Smithsburg-area scene when they encountered a vehicle matching that description.
“When troopers went to stop the vehicle, the suspect immediately started firing multiple rounds at the troopers,” Dofflemyer said. “The troopers returned fire, striking the suspect.”
The suspect, a 23-year-old man who lives in West Virginia, was taken to Meritus, Dofflemyer said. Police did not immediately release his name, his condition or the nature of his injuries.
The wounded trooper also was not named. But state police said he is a 25-year veteran of the force, assigned to the Criminal Enforcement Division Western Region.
The trooper also was taken to Meritus. He was released from the hospital Thursday night.
Mapleville Road was closed for hours as authorities investigated the scene just south of the roundabout at Mapleville and Mount Aetna roads. Three vehicles — a Ford SUV, a Chevrolet sedan and a Mitsubishi Eclipse — eventually were hauled away.
Officers from several agencies, including the Smithsburg Police Department, Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Maryland State Police, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives were at the scenes.
What else do we know?
- The weapon used at both scenes was a semi-automatic handgun, and a handgun was found in the vehicle on Mapleville Road, police said. A semi-automatic weapon fires one shot each time a person pulls the trigger, automatically reloading for the next shot.
- “The weapon used in both scenes was a semi-automatic handgun,” Mullendore said.
- It was the second shooting in Washington County in two days. The night before, a 19-year-old was wounded in the parking lot of the Valley Mall.
- Rick Goode, CEO of Columbia Machine, issued a statement saying the company was deeply saddened. “We are working closely with local authorities while the investigation continues. Our highest priority during this tragic event is the safety and wellbeing of our employees and their families,” the statement reads.
- Meritus Health President and CEO Maulik Joshi said the hospital staff, while providing “hope to these victims,” also continued to care for others with serious medical emergencies that afternoon. “These moments were also harrowing for our teams. Leadership placed appropriate areas on lockdown to be extremely cautious with the advice from law enforcement,” he said in a written statement.
Some other things we don’t know
- The motive.
- Where the victims were found at the business.
- What the suspect was doing in the hours before the incident.
- The make, model and caliber of the weapon, and where and when it was acquired. Police did not immediately release the make, model or caliber of the weapon because that information “was part of the investigation,” Mullendore said.
Mike Lewis covers business, the economy and other issues. Follow Mike on Twitter: @MiLewis.
