A gunman who opened fire in a shopping mall near Washington, killing two people before taking his own life, was a 19-year-old armed with a shotgun and crude homemade explosives, police said Sunday.
Dario Marcus Aguilar fired six to eight shots from a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun during the attack at the Columbia Mall Saturday, killing two employees of a skateboard shop, Howard Country Police Chief Bill McMahon said.
Police are investigating whether the shooter, who was from the nearby town of College Park, Maryland, had any prior relationship with the victims.
"Once we can establish if there is any relationship or not, that will certainly help us to identify the next big question, which is why this happened," McMahon told reporters.
He said Aguilar "was dropped off at the mall by a cab at about 10:15 on the upper level," leaving him "very limited" time to move through the mall before first reports of shooting came one hour later.
Nonetheless, police launched an intensive search of the mall after finding unsophisticated explosive devices in a backpack the shooter was carrying.
The search by nearly 20 explosive-detecting canine teams turned up no additional explosives, however, McMahon said.
He described the explosives found as "homemade devices consisting of flash powder and household items. So they were not very sophisticated," he said.
Aguilar, who was not believed to have a criminal record, purchased the shotgun in December in nearby Montgomery County, McMahon said.
Police have identified the victims as Brianna Benlolo, 21, also of College Park, and Tyler Johnson, 25, of Ellicott City, Maryland. Both were employees of skateboard store Zumiez.
Five injured shooting victims were also treated and released, Howard County General Hospital said Saturday. One had suffered a gunshot wound to a foot.
The mall should be cleared to reopen "no later than Tuesday," McMahon said.
With about 200 stores, and an indoor carousel and play area, the mall is a favorite weekend spot for young families about 45 minutes outside downtown Washington.
"It's more than just an economic entity," McMahon said. "It really is kind of the main street for Columbia and one of the things Howard County is known for," McMahon said.
The shooting is the latest in a spate of similar incidents in the United States.
The most notorious took place in Newtown, Connecticut, in December 2012, when 26 people, most of them elementary school children, were shot to death by a 20-year-old who took his own life.
The Newtown attack briefly reignited the US gun control debate, triggered every time there is a major shooting, although attempts to pass tougher laws have made little headway in the US Congress.
A gunman who opened fire in a shopping mall near Washington, killing two people before taking his own life, was a 19-year-old armed with a shotgun and crude homemade explosives, police said Sunday.
Dario Marcus Aguilar fired six to eight shots from a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun during the attack at the Columbia Mall Saturday, killing two employees of a skateboard shop, Howard Country Police Chief Bill McMahon said.
Police are investigating whether the shooter, who was from the nearby town of College Park, Maryland, had any prior relationship with the victims.
“Once we can establish if there is any relationship or not, that will certainly help us to identify the next big question, which is why this happened,” McMahon told reporters.
He said Aguilar “was dropped off at the mall by a cab at about 10:15 on the upper level,” leaving him “very limited” time to move through the mall before first reports of shooting came one hour later.
Nonetheless, police launched an intensive search of the mall after finding unsophisticated explosive devices in a backpack the shooter was carrying.
The search by nearly 20 explosive-detecting canine teams turned up no additional explosives, however, McMahon said.
He described the explosives found as “homemade devices consisting of flash powder and household items. So they were not very sophisticated,” he said.
Aguilar, who was not believed to have a criminal record, purchased the shotgun in December in nearby Montgomery County, McMahon said.
Police have identified the victims as Brianna Benlolo, 21, also of College Park, and Tyler Johnson, 25, of Ellicott City, Maryland. Both were employees of skateboard store Zumiez.
Five injured shooting victims were also treated and released, Howard County General Hospital said Saturday. One had suffered a gunshot wound to a foot.
The mall should be cleared to reopen “no later than Tuesday,” McMahon said.
With about 200 stores, and an indoor carousel and play area, the mall is a favorite weekend spot for young families about 45 minutes outside downtown Washington.
“It’s more than just an economic entity,” McMahon said. “It really is kind of the main street for Columbia and one of the things Howard County is known for,” McMahon said.
The shooting is the latest in a spate of similar incidents in the United States.
The most notorious took place in Newtown, Connecticut, in December 2012, when 26 people, most of them elementary school children, were shot to death by a 20-year-old who took his own life.
The Newtown attack briefly reignited the US gun control debate, triggered every time there is a major shooting, although attempts to pass tougher laws have made little headway in the US Congress.
