Two dead in early-morning Shady Side shooting
SHADY SIDE, Md. - Two people were killed in an early-morning shooting in Anne Arundel County Thursday. It happened off of Scott Town Road in Shady Side, Md.
Police say they arrived at the scene along the dead-end road around 1 am to find a man and a woman suffering from gunshot wounds. Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene.
On Thursday night, Anne Arundel County police said the two victims, who have been identified as Leslie Smith and Linda McKenzie, were involved in a relationship, and they lived on a house boat in the Rock Hold Creek area. Autopsies will be performed to determine their cause of death.
Investigators have not released any information about any possible suspects or a motive in the shootings.
Jessica Hutcherson, a neighbor, told FOX 5 she has a bad feeling that the argument she heard outside her home ended as a double shooting. Around midnight, she snapped a photo of a car stuck in a ditch off Scott Town Road, before she called police over concerns about loud arguing.
Police say officers came to the scene and talked with the people who owned the car, but they were ok and were able to deal with the situation on their own, so the officers left.
About 30 minutes later, Hutcherson says, she heard at least six gunshots.
"It was so close," she said. "It was scary because we didn't know who was shooting, what they were shooting at. It was like a pow like a shotgun-- then another pow.. then bat, bat, bat-- almost like a handgun.
Witnesses said police towed a four-door white Saturn parked about 100 yards away from the scene, but investigators can't confirm if it's the same vehicle Hutcherson saw on the side of the road earlier in the night. Officers said they did tow the car because it was in the area and didn't seem to belong to anyone, so it has been impounded for safe keeping, and potentially for evidence if it were related.
On Thursday, a large group of plainclothes officers were seen canvassing the area, along a secluded street which neighbors complain is a hotbed for suspicious drug activity.
Other neighbors told FOX 5 that the street where the shooting happened is known for having cars driving up and down it at all hours. Another neighbor said she had installed surveillance cameras at her home because of questionable activity in the area at night.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Anne Arundel County Homicide Unit at 410-222-4731. Anyone with information that wishes to remain anonymous can also contact the Anne Arundel County Police Tip Line 410-222-4700 or Metro Crime Stoppers.