A dispute turned deadly Sunday when three people were killed and three were injured in a shooting at a home in Annapolis, Maryland, police say.
Authorities said the shooting happened at about 8 p.m. at a private residence in the 1000 block of Paddington Place, according to an Annapolis Police Department release. A graduation party may have been taking place, according to the initial investigation.
All of the deceased victims are men, including a father and son. Their ages range from early 20s to 50s, police said.
The three injured victims were taken to the hospital and are in stable condition.
Police recovered more than one weapon and said there may have been an exchange of gunfire.
Annapolis Police Chief Edward Jackson described the community as "stable" and said the shooting was unusual for the area.
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"No area is immune. We are living in times now where there's availability of handguns are plentiful right now, and we have people who are willing to use them, but that's everywhere in this country, that is not unique to Annapolis," Jackson said.
In the daylight of Monday morning, evidence markers showed where the shell casings fell to the ground.
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Neighbors told News4 they heard a lot of shots fired.
“Oh man, it was like pap, pap, pap pap … it sounded like a firecracker,” a neighbor said.
Another neighbor believes the incident started over an argument where someone parked their vehicle.
“People were crying, people were screaming. It was hysteria pretty much,” a neighbor said.
Suspect Charles Robert Smith is in custody, police said. He is charged with three counts of second-degree murder, three counts of attempted second-degree murder, three counts of first-degree assault and one count of use of a firearm during commission of a felony.
Police called the shooting an "interpersonal dispute" and was not random. They said there was no immediate danger to the public.
"Tonight, was an example of, yet again, senseless violence—people trying to resolve issues with guns. It is the most ridiculous thing we can do as a society," Mayor Gavin Buckley said at a press conference late Sunday night. "We are saddened, saddened for the families... Nothing gets resolved through use of a gun."
Police are still trying to determine a motive in the shooting.
This is a developing story. Refresh for updates.
