2 Confirmed Dead At Zumiez Clothing Store In Columbia Mall Shooting

(Thomas Dishaw) According to confirmed reports, at 11:15 am at the Columbia Mall in Maryland, an armed gunman went into the the Zumiez clothing store located on the second floor of the shopping center.

The alleged shooter proceeded to go into the fitting room, and then emerged a few minutes later opening fire, killing two people in the store. As of now the Howard County Police Department is reporting 3 people deceased, and one is believed to be the alleged shooter.

Eyewitness reports describe a chaotic scene as people were running into the Victoria Secret fitting room to take cover. The response was fast and fierce, as a SWAT team was near by on another assignment and quickly came to the scene. As of press time the mall is on lockdown and SWAT team members are conducting a sweep of the mall. A second press conference is scheduled today at 4 pm.

We will be updating this story as more information comes in.

Update:

Howard County Police Department

has now released the names of the victims. Brianna Benlolo, 21, of College Park, MD & Tyler Johnson, 25, of Ellicott City, MD. Both employees of Zumiez.

According to sources at the scene the gunman killed his ex girlfriend her fiance and then took his own life with a shotgun.