3 dead in shooting outside Annapolis area hotel

Three people are dead after a shooting in a hotel parking lot near Annapolis on Friday afternoon, according to Anne Arundel County Police.

Just after 2 p.m., police were called to the Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Parole where they believe a man shot a woman and another man and then shot himself in the parking lot.

The woman and the shooter were pronounced dead in the parking lot, said County Police spokesperson Lt. Jacklyn Davis. The male victim was able to drive himself a short distance to a nearby shopping center, where people called for help.

He was taken to a hospital where he died, Davis said.

Cameron Fridley was working in the front of the Alltackle.com fishing store on Somerville Road when he heard a noise that sounded like a car backfire. The 19-year-old looked out the window to see people running in front of the Whole Foods grocery store.

“I know enough that if you see a bunch of people running away from something, you don’t run towards it,” he said.

Fridley ran to the back of the store and got his coworkers.

“My employee goes: ‘There’s a shooting.’ So the next thing you know there’s a guy lying right here, bleeding out,” store owner Keith Fraser said, pointing to the threshold of his business.

Fraser said the man, who he described as white and in his 30s or 40s, was bleeding from gunshot wounds to his right arm and side. The man was struggling to breathe, turned pale and looked like he was in shock, Fraser said.

A customer tried to help by slapping the man awake until first responders arrived. First responders worked on the man in the threshold of the business, and at one point, Fraser said he heard the injured man talking to emergency personnel.

Davis said there were still many unresolved questions, including the relationship between the shooter and the victims and the circumstances that led to the incident. She said, however, that this was a “targeted incident.”

No names have been released as the next of kin have not been identified.

Police could not immediately offer details about the gun that was used, including who owned it and whether it was legally owned.

Police Chief Amal Awad expressed remorse that a gun was used in a conflict.

“Today, we’ve senselessly lost three individuals to gun violence in our county,” Awad said. “We’re better than this.”

She encouraged people to make use of the county’s crisis response team and warmline, 410-768-5522.

“I’m appealing to our community members: If you see the signs that your loved one is in distress, despondent or has indicated their intent to harm someone, please, we implore you to call us,” the chief said.

The shooting happened in a busy commercial district, and police said they expect more witnesses to come forward. Some may have seen or heard something that they didn’t realize was significant at the time, Davis said. Anonymous tips can be called into police at 410-222-4700.

Last year, there were 15 homicides in Anne Arundel County, with 13 of them caused by gunfire, according to the county health department. County Executive Steuart Pittman and health officials established a Gun Violence Intervention Team in 2019 to address the issue of gun violence as a public health crisis.

Former Gov. Larry Hogan tweeted that Friday’s shooting happened near the offices of his real estate firm, Hogan Companies.

“Our prayers are with the families of the victims and we are thankful for the police and first responders,” he said.

pamela.wood@thebaltimorebanner.com

brenda.wintrode@thebaltimorebanner.com

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