(Updated at 4 p.m. Wednesday): GERMANTOWN, MD — Two men were shot in front of a McDonald's in a shopping center in Germantown Tuesday night, police said.

Officers were called to the scene of the double shooting in the 19600 block of Gunner Branch Rd. at about 6:30 p.m., police said.

Police have identified the victims as a 26-year-old male, who suffered a gunshot wound to his upper body, and a 27-year-old male who was shot in his lower body. The men were transported to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Police said that after the two victims were shot, they went into the McDonald's to call for help.

"Just after six in a shopping center at a restaurant is a busy time of day. We're fortunate that more people weren't hurt," Captain Paul Starks with Montgomery County Police told ABC 7 News.



A bullet hole is visible in the front window of McDonald's, which is in the Fox Chapel shopping center.

Police are working to identify a motive and suspect(s). At this time, police believe there could be two suspects who fled from the scene. Investigators believe that this was not a random event and there is some prior association between the suspect(s) and the victims.

Anyone with information regarding this double shooting is urged to call police at 240-773-6237. For those who wish to remain anonymous, tipsters may call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). Crime Solvers will pay a cash reward of up to $10,000 for information provided to them that leads to the arrest and/or indictment of this suspect. Tipsters will remain anonymous.

Patch Photo

