Howard County Police have identified a 17-year-old as a suspect in the fatal shooting of a teenager at The Mall in Columbia on July 27.
Police said in a news release that the suspect targeted 17-year-old Angelo Little as shoppers milled about on a Saturday afternoon. Detectives said the suspect and victim knew each other, but they have not determined a motive. Police said the suspect is wanted on first-degree murder and related charges.
Authorities identified the suspect by name in a news release because they said his whereabouts are unknown and they consider him to be a potential threat to the public.
The Baltimore Banner is not identifying the suspect because he is a juvenile.
Police said the suspect is an Oakland Mills High School student who has not attended school since classes started this week. A spokesperson for the Howard County Public School System referred questions to the Police Department.
Jeffrey Fink, the principal of Oakland Mills High School, said in an email to the school community that students had a quick reaction and took to discussion after police released suspect information. He said there are counseling supports in place for any student who might need to talk to someone if the information is upsetting.
The school system’s safety and security team is communicating with police to get the most updated information and guidance.
The Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office said in a post on X that the suspect is believed to have ties to the Wicomico County area.
Howard County investigators reviewed hundreds of hours of surveillance footage and worked with federal partners, but have been unable to locate the suspect, police said Wednesday. They believe he may have left the immediate area.
Police previously said mall surveillance video from July 27 shows the suspect at a table in the food court with his head down until the victim walked toward the bathroom hallway.
In the video released to the public, the suspect is seen wearing a dark mask covering his face, a black hooded sweatshirt with the hood over his head, black Adidas sweatpants and black shoes. The footage shows the suspect running through the housekeeping hallway in the mall.
Police are offering an increased reward of $10,000 to anyone who can offer information leading to the suspect’s arrest.
Anyone with information should contact police at 410-313-STOP or HCPDCrimeTips@howardcountymd.gov.
