‘They have actually drilled on this in the past’ – HC Police Chief on Md. mall shooting By Lori Price, www.legitgov.org 25 Jan 2014 At a 1:30 PM EST media conference, Howard County Chief of Police Bill McMahon shared his perspective on the mall shooting in Columbia, Maryland, that left three dead (including the alleged shooter). The mall, thirty miles north of Washington, D.C., is still an “active crime scene” and remains under lockdown. “This has been an incredible and thoughtful operation,” McMahon observed. “They have actually drilled on this in the past.” …MSNBC host T.J. Holmes noted that the police chief stated that they had done numerous “active-shooter drills” at the mall. Holmes interviewed Howard County Executive, Ken Ulman. Ulman said that his community has “stepped-up” his active-shooter training and conducted numerous drills for same. “Our SWAT team has drilled with us,” he added… Mall worker and eye-witness Lauren Stapleton told an NBC reporter that after she heard gunshots, she called 911, but that 911 “could not be reached.”
Three dead in shooting at mall near Baltimore –Mall is still being cleared by SWAT teams. 25 Jan 2014 Three people were killed Saturday in a shooting at a shopping mall in Columbia, Md., near Baltimore, police said. At a news conference, Howard County, Md., Chief of Police Bill McMahon said that the gunman was believed to be one of the dead and that the shooting took place in a single store on the upper level of The Mall in Columbia. McMahon said shoppers followed instructions from mall security to seek shelter. “They have done what we have encouraged them to do in one of these situations,” McMahon said… Police had staged drills will mall staff in the past to prepare for an emergency situation, he said.