Three people died and three people were injured after a shooter opened fire at a manufacturing facility in Smithsburg, Maryland, officials say. The male suspect is one of the three people injured.
According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the shooting took place just after 2:30 p.m. at Columbia Machine in Smithsburg, about 75 miles west of Baltimore.
During a news conference Thursday evening, authorities identified the three people killed as Mark Alan Frey, 50; Charles Edward Minnick, Jr., 31 and Joshua Robert Wallace, 30.
The fourth victim, Brandon Chase Michael, 40, was critically injured in the shooting. He was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Sheriff Doug Mullendore told reporters Thursday that the suspect, who was only identified as a 23-year-old male, used a semi-automatic handgun in the shooting. Authorities have not yet released the suspect’s identity due to him not being charged yet.
“At this time I can confirm all the victims and the suspect were current employees of the Columbia Machine Inc.,” Mullendore said.
Following the shooting, the suspect fled the area but was quickly found by Maryland State Police a few roads down from the scene, according to officials. A state trooper and the suspect shot at each other, leaving both injured and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The suspect is no longer a threat to the community. Multiple federal agencies, including the FBI and ATF, have responded to assist local authorities in the investigation into the shooting.
Authorities did not have information on whether the suspect and victims were employees of the company where the shooting took place, Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Carly Hose said at a news conference.
Family members of workers at the manufacturer were gathering at a fire station in downtown Smithsburg on Thursday evening, awaiting information on their loved ones. They declined to speak to a reporter.
Several hours after the shooting, numerous law enforcement officers remained at the scene. Police had closed off the road that runs past the Columbia Machine Inc. facility, and yellow tape blew in the wind outside the business.
U.S. Rep. David Trone released a statement on Twitter following the shooting, saying his office was in contact with authorities in the area and are actively monitoring the shooting.
“If you’re local, please stay away from the area as law enforcement responds,” Trone tweeted.