Five injured in shooting near roadway in Bladensburg, Maryland, authorities say
Five people traveling in the same car have been wounded — including three critically — after a shooting in Bladensburg, Maryland, on Friday, authorities say.
Bladensburg Police chief Tyrone Collington said the wounded individuals had just left a funeral at the Fort Lincoln Cemetery when they were fired at by someone in a dark-coloured vehicle.
The victims received life-saving treatment at the scene by first responders before being taken to hospital, Mr Collington said.
Police received the first reports of a shooting on the 4300 block of Bladensburg Road, 40 miles east of Washington DC, at 12.28pm, Mr Collington told a news conference on Friday afternoon.
He could not provide any details on the victims’ ages or conditions, but FOX DC reported three were in a critical condition.
Mr Collington said police were seeking surveillance footage of the incident, and the make and model of the vehicle carrying the shooters has not been identified.
He said police were working to establish a possible motive, and whether the suspects had attended the same funeral.
Mr Collington described the shooting as an “unnecessary, senseless act of violence”.
“This is uncommon in this community,” he said.
Earlier, Bladensburg police said the Bladensburg and Annapolis Roads were closed and asked the public to avoid the area.
Brad Bell, a bureau chief for 7 News DC, was at the scene soon after the shooting and said in a Twitter post that the victims were travelling in a car were wounded when the occupant of another vehicle opened fire on a bridge over the Anacostia River.