5 Stabbed At Hunt Valley Towne Centre; Police Fatally Shoot Suspect
HUNT VALLEY, Md. (WJZ) -- Five people were stabbed at the Hunt Valley Towne Centre, formerly known as the Hunt Valley Mall, Saturday afternoon. Police have shot and killed the suspect.
The five victims were stabbed and have been taken to area hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. One suspect was involved, police said.
Police got a number of 911 calls starting at around 1:43 p.m., Baltimore County Police Officer Jen Peach said.
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The first call said the suspect was walking around the Hunt Valley Wine, Liquor and Beer liquor store demanding money and threatening people with a box cutter.
A second call then came in reporting a stabbing at the liquor store, followed by multiple additional calls reporting more stabbing victims.
Police said three of the five victims were stabbed inside the liquor store, and two others victim was stabbed in front of neighboring businesses.
Earlier, police had said four of the stabbings happened at the liquor store.
When officers arrived, they found the suspect armed with a knife near the intersection of Shawan Road and McCormick Road.
Officers yelled for the man to drop the knife, but he did not, leading them to shoot and kill him, police said.
The suspect has not yet been identified.
Peach did not say how many officers were involved or how many shots were fired.
The officers involved will be placed on routine administrative leave pending an internal investigation.
An off-duty EMS captain who was shopping in the area at the time of the stabbing was able to aid the victims until first responders arrived.
Some of the victims were treated at Sinai Hospital, a spokesperson said.
Video obtained by WJZ shows police shooting the suspect, who appears to be armed with a knife. Multiple officers then surround the man, at which time an officer kicks the knife out of the man's hand.
Witnesses tell WJZ they were in a liquor store where the stabbing took place. They said employees had asked the man to leave the store twice earlier in the day and then yelled when he returned.
The suspect had reportedly changed clothes and came back with a knife, the witnesses said.
Employees and customers grabbed wine bottles to defend themselves from the man.
Police said shopping center security officers had been called to the liquor store and escorted the man from the scene. When he came back, they called police.
County Executive Johnny Olszewski released a statement Saturday afternoon thanking police for their quick response.
"We are extremely grateful that the injuries to the innocent people, who were stabbed in an apparent random incident, appear to be relatively minor," he wrote. "I want to thank the Baltimore County Police Department for a speedy response and resolution to a very scary situation. Any loss of life is tragic and unfortunate."
Baltimore County Police are working with Maryland Transit Administration Police to investigate whether the suspect was also involved in an incident with MTA police earlier Saturday.
