Teens Shot Near Columbia Mall, Suspect All Attended Howard County Schools: Official

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — The superintendent of the Howard County Public School System has confirmed that the suspect in a recent shooting near The Mall in Columbia, as well as the two shooting victims, were all students at HCPSS high schools.

Shortly before 6 p.m. Saturday, Howard County police officers were called to a parking lot and bus area outside Lidl at the Mall in Columbia in the 10300 block of Little Patuxent Parkway, where they found 16-year-old Michael Robertson of Columbia, who was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. Blake McCray, 15, of Columbia, was taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center and was in critical condition as of Monday, police said.

Authorities have identified the suspect as 18-year-old Emmetson Zeah, who is now facing murder charges. Detectives believe Zeah targeted the victims but his motive was unclear, according to police, who said they found a gun and clothing Zeah wore during the shooting at his home.

"Today, we are grieving with the families, friends and all those closest to this tragedy. Staff across our district are prepared to provide support for any student who needs somebody to speak with about this event. The HCPSS Mental Health and Wellness page also has many links to resources for support," HCPSS Superintendent William J. Barnes said in a message sent to families.

"There is still much to learn about the events that took place on Saturday evening and everything leading up to that event. I appreciate the cooperation we received from Chief Der and the Howard County Police Department, and we will support their investigative efforts to better understand this tragedy," Barnes added. "The strong sense of community demonstrated in Howard County is especially important at this moment. I am grateful for your partnership as we provide support and understanding to our children and to each other."

FOX45 reported that according to public records, Zeah was charged with violating his home monitoring the day before the double shooting. Zeah was placed on home detention Jan. 8 after being arrested in December. He also faces charges of attempted murder for a separate shooting that happened just blocks from the mall on Feb. 14.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 410-313-7867 or hcpdcrimetips@howardcountymd.gov, according to authorities, who said tipsters can remain anonymous.