UPDATE (June 3): Bel Air police arrested the mother of a suspect accused of a shooting at a child's birthday party at Harford Mall. Officers are still searching for the alleged gunman.Investigators said a fight between two families at a party on Sunday escalated to gunfire inside the Harford Bounce Party Place. On Monday, police identified a suspect as Wesley Lyons, 35, of Edgewood, who investigators said is considered armed and dangerous."He was involved. He was involved in the physical confrontation. He was involved. Again, it started to escalate from that physical altercation, Mr. Lyons does a little reach-around and fires a number of rounds," Bel Air Police Chief Charles Moore told 11 News.Investigators said the shooting appears to be targeted between Lyons and the victim, identified as Richard Williams, 42, who knew each other before the shooting. Williams was shot three times, twice in the thigh and once in the hand. Lyons, his mother and his girlfriend fled in a Jeep, which police found in Edgewood -- but the suspect remains at large."He's a coward and he needs to turn himself in," Moore told 11 News. "(He) put a lot of people's lives and safety in jeopardy, including first responders who really got to the scene quick."A public records search indicates Lyons has a criminal history dating back to 2007 with charges that include armed robbery, identity fraud, drug possession and drug possession with the intent to distribute on school property.People at the mall spoke with 11 News about the incident."There were children, many kids were crying, trying to figure out where their parents were if they weren't with them," said Aiden Fowler, a shopper."The cop came in and said, 'We are going to have to evacuate everybody,'" said Keely Hoffman, an employee at the mall. "They said they didn't know if he was currently there or where he was, that's why they wanted to take us to the shelter."Two other women have been arrested in connection to this case. According to police, Lisa Gregg, 60, of Edgewood, and Lateia Green, 37, of Middle River, have been arrested and face charges.According to police charging documents obtained by 11 News, Lyons' mother initially gave police a fictitious address. Police said they knew that because when they checked it out, it was the home of a law enforcement officer.ORIGINAL STORY (June 2): A man was shot inside a business Sunday afternoon at Harford Mall, Bel Air police said.Police said the shooting was reported shortly after 4 p.m. and that officers arrived within minutes of the initial 911 calls, at which time they treated the investigation as an active shooter situation until officers learned more information.Video below: Man shot inside Harford Mall"I would not categorize it as an active shooter. This seemed to be an isolated, personal incident," said Cpl. Keith Smithson with Bel Air Police Department. "We treated it as (an active shooter) initially because based upon the numerous phone calls, that kind of stuff, we always kind of amp it up before we reel it back."Police ultimately said there was no active shooter, and they believe the incident to be isolated between the shooter and the victim.Police said investigators working on witness descriptions identified a possible suspect and suspect vehicle. The vehicle was found in Edgewood, but no one was in custody. The victim, a 42-year-old man, was flown to a Baltimore hospital in stable condition.Harford County fire officials said volunteer firefighters from Bel Air and EMS units from the county are assisting Bel Air police for an incident near the mall."I think safety remains our primary focus here, and I would like everybody to know that we are always there and we're never too far away," Smithson said. "Training has paid off, I'll say that, in the response to this. We don't have this often, but we train for this often, and it showed today in every aspect, from fire and EMS to law enforcement."Several people at the scene told 11 News they had to either evacuate the mall or shelter in place inside. "(I was with my mom) eating pizza in the pizzeria, and we heard the shots," said Aiden Fowler, who had to shelter in place. "Everybody was running, people came running into the pizzeria, we ran back into the service entrance, and we were sitting back there with a large group of people cowering in place. We were all just sort of sitting in place, trying to figure out what was going on. There were children, many kids were crying, trying to figure out where their parents were, if they weren't with them." No further information was immediately released.Witnesses or anyone with information is asked to call Det. Sgt. Marchesani at 410-638-4500.This report will be updated.
BEL AIR, Md. —
UPDATE (June 3): Bel Air police arrested the mother of a suspect accused of a shooting at a child's birthday party at Harford Mall. Officers are still searching for the alleged gunman.
Investigators said a fight between two families at a party on Sunday escalated to gunfire inside the Harford Bounce Party Place.
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On Monday, police identified a suspect as Wesley Lyons, 35, of Edgewood, who investigators said is considered armed and dangerous.
"He was involved. He was involved in the physical confrontation. He was involved. Again, it started to escalate from that physical altercation, Mr. Lyons does a little reach-around and fires a number of rounds," Bel Air Police Chief Charles Moore told 11 News.
Investigators said the shooting appears to be targeted between Lyons and the victim, identified as Richard Williams, 42, who knew each other before the shooting. Williams was shot three times, twice in the thigh and once in the hand.
Lyons, his mother and his girlfriend fled in a Jeep, which police found in Edgewood -- but the suspect remains at large.
"He's a coward and he needs to turn himself in," Moore told 11 News. "(He) put a lot of people's lives and safety in jeopardy, including first responders who really got to the scene quick."
A public records search indicates Lyons has a criminal history dating back to 2007 with charges that include armed robbery, identity fraud, drug possession and drug possession with the intent to distribute on school property.
People at the mall spoke with 11 News about the incident.
"There were children, many kids were crying, trying to figure out where their parents were if they weren't with them," said Aiden Fowler, a shopper.
"The cop came in and said, 'We are going to have to evacuate everybody,'" said Keely Hoffman, an employee at the mall. "They said they didn't know if he was currently there or where he was, that's why they wanted to take us to the shelter."
Two other women have been arrested in connection to this case. According to police, Lisa Gregg, 60, of Edgewood, and Lateia Green, 37, of Middle River, have been arrested and face charges.
According to police charging documents obtained by 11 News, Lyons' mother initially gave police a fictitious address. Police said they knew that because when they checked it out, it was the home of a law enforcement officer.
ORIGINAL STORY (June 2): A man was shot inside a business Sunday afternoon at Harford Mall, Bel Air police said.
Police said the shooting was reported shortly after 4 p.m. and that officers arrived within minutes of the initial 911 calls, at which time they treated the investigation as an active shooter situation until officers learned more information.
Video below: Man shot inside Harford Mall
"I would not categorize it as an active shooter. This seemed to be an isolated, personal incident," said Cpl. Keith Smithson with Bel Air Police Department. "We treated it as (an active shooter) initially because based upon the numerous phone calls, that kind of stuff, we always kind of amp it up before we reel it back."
Police ultimately said there was no active shooter, and they believe the incident to be isolated between the shooter and the victim.
Police said investigators working on witness descriptions identified a possible suspect and suspect vehicle. The vehicle was found in Edgewood, but no one was in custody.
The victim, a 42-year-old man, was flown to a Baltimore hospital in stable condition.
Harford County fire officials said volunteer firefighters from Bel Air and EMS units from the county are assisting Bel Air police for an incident near the mall.
"I think safety remains our primary focus here, and I would like everybody to know that we are always there and we're never too far away," Smithson said. "Training has paid off, I'll say that, in the response to this. We don't have this often, but we train for this often, and it showed today in every aspect, from fire and EMS to law enforcement."
Several people at the scene told 11 News they had to either evacuate the mall or shelter in place inside.
"(I was with my mom) eating pizza in the pizzeria, and we heard the shots," said Aiden Fowler, who had to shelter in place. "Everybody was running, people came running into the pizzeria, we ran back into the service entrance, and we were sitting back there with a large group of people cowering in place. We were all just sort of sitting in place, trying to figure out what was going on. There were children, many kids were crying, trying to figure out where their parents were, if they weren't with them."
No further information was immediately released.
Witnesses or anyone with information is asked to call Det. Sgt. Marchesani at 410-638-4500.
This report will be updated.
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UPDATE | Bel Air Police say they just found the suspect vehicle in Edgewood—suspect still not in custody. Initially the suspect vehicle was described as a red SUV but it’s unclear if that’s what was found in Edgewood just now. @wbaltv11
— Tori Yorgey WBAL (@toriyorgeytv) June 2, 2024
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Please avoid the Harford Mall. https://t.co/j0hNJ293dG
— Harford Sheriff (@Harford_Sheriff) June 2, 2024
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