5 Stabbed, Suspect Killed At Hunt Valley Towne Centre: Police

COCKEYSVILLE, MD — One person is dead and five are injured after a disturbance that began at a liquor store in Hunt Valley Towne Centre Saturday afternoon, according to police. Authorities said a man stabbed multiple people at businesses in the open-air shopping center before he was fatally shot in a standoff with police officers. The people he stabbed are all expected to survive, according to police.

The knife-wielding man, who has not been identified, may be connected to another incident that occurred earlier in the day that the Maryland Transit Administration was handling, officials said.

Also before the violence unfolded, police said security at the shopping center in the 100 block of Shawan Road had gone to the liquor store in response to a suspicious person and escorted the man off the premises. When he returned, police said the security officers called the Baltimore County Police Department for assistance.

Officers were dispatched to the shopping center because a person was loitering near a liquor store at 1:43 p.m. Saturday, according to Officer Jennifer Peach of the Baltimore County Police Department.

"There was a subject in there asking for money, loitering, and the call was for police to help remove him from the premises," Peach told Patch at 2:30 p.m. It "escalated from there," she said.

"He was being aggressive with people, and he was threatening people with some sort of a box cutter," Peach said at a 5 p.m. news conference. The weapon was actually a folding-style knife, investigators would later determine.

"While police were en route, we received a second call for a stabbing at the liquor store, and then we started receiving additional phone calls for additional stabbings," Peach said.

Three people were stabbed inside Hunt Valley Wine, Liquor & Beer, according to police. Two other stabbings occurred at neighboring businesses. One was at Noodles & Company, police said.

An off-duty EMS captain who was at the shopping center at the time began providing aid to at least one victim, police said.

As officers were on the way to the incident, they were told the armed man was headed toward Shawan Road. Peach said they crossed paths with him at the intersection of Shawan and McCormick Road. They repeatedly ordered him to drop his weapon, which he refused to do, officials reported.

"During the encounter, he was armed with a knife, and our officers were forced to discharge their weapons," Peach said. "He suffered a critical injury and has been pronounced deceased."

The man has not yet been identified. But Peach said the Baltimore County Police Department was coordinating an investigation with the Maryland Transit Administration Police based on "information that this same suspect may have been involved in an incident with them earlier this morning."

A total of five people at the shopping center Saturday afternoon suffered stab wounds that were believed to be non-life-threatening. All were taken to area hospitals for treatment, police said.

Investigators recovered the knife, and police said that officers are working with businesses at the shopping center to review surveillance footage.

Asked by a reporter about the history of calls for service at Hunt Valley Towne Centre, Peach said: "This type of a violent call is extremely rare at this location."

The Hunt Valley Towne Centre is tucked away in a quiet suburb about 15 miles north of Baltimore. It is home to more than 50 businesses, including restaurants, a movie theater and shops.

"We are shocked at the unfortunate and random incident that occurred today at Hunt Valley Towne Centre," according to a statement issued on the shopping center's Facebook page. "Thank you to our on-site security team and the Baltimore County Police for their prompt response. At this time, we know that five people have been transported to local hospitals with non-life threatening injuries. Our hearts go out to those impacted by this senseless act."

Police said that the officers involved in the shooting will be placed on routine administrative leave pending an internal investigation.

The name of the man who died will be released once the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has positively identified him, police said.

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