Three people killed and another critically injured in mass shooting at Maryland business

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan says a trooper was shot in the shoulder by the suspect, before returning fire and shooting the gunman back

Three people have been killed and one other victim critically injured in a mass shooting at a manufacturing plant in Maryland with the gunman now in hospital following a shootout with an officer, according to authorities.

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office said that the shooting unfolded at around 2.30pm on Thursday afternoon at the Columbia Machine in Smithsburg, around 75 miles from the city of Baltimore.

Officers were called to the facility on Bikle Road after reports of an active shooter and arrived to find three victims dead on the scene and a fourth suffering critical injuries.

The male suspect had already fled the scene before officers arrived with a description quickly circulated to responding units to try to track down the perpetrator.

A Maryland State Police trooper then encountered the alleged shooter in a vehicle nearby and a shootout broke out.

Both the trooper and the suspect were shot in the incident and were taken to hospital for treatment.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said at an earlier press conference that state police “pursued the suspect” who then opened fire on them, shooting a trooper in the shoulder.

The trooper returned fire and “shot him back”, he said.

The conditions of both the wounded trooper and the gunman are currently unknown.

The condition of the fourth victim found at the manufacturing plant is also unclear.

Investigators on the scene of the shooting in Smithsburg, Maryland (NBC Washington)

Sgt Carly Hose, from Washington County Sheriff’s Office, gave few details about the incident at a press conference on Thursday afternoon but sought to reassure the community that there is no longer an active threat.

The sergeant said she could not provide any details about the identities of the victims or whether or not they were employees at the manufacturing facility.

The identity of the suspect was also not revealed, with the sergeant confirming he is male but declining to comment on his age or any other identifying details.

She said she did not have information to share at that time around whether the gunman worked at the facility or why he may have chosen to target that location.

She also declined to say what type of gun had been used in the attack.

It is not clear if the initial shooting took place inside the Columbia Machine facility or outside.

Multiple federal agencies, including the FBI and ATF, have responded to assist in the investigation.

Maryland Senator Ben Cardin tweeted this “cannot keep happening” as he said his thoughts were with the victims’ families.

“Horrible tragedy in #Smithsburg. My thoughts are with all of the families of the victims today. This cannot keep happening,” he tweeted.

“Thankful to the local law enforcement, Maryland State Police, FBI, ATF and any others who are working to determine the details.”

Congressman David Trone, who represents the district that includes the town, had tweeted earlier on Thursday afternoon that he was actively monitoring the situation and urged the public to stay clear of the area.

“We are actively monitoring the mass shooting in #Smithsburg right now, and our office is in contact with officials on the ground.

“If you’re local, please stay away from the area as law enforcement responds,” he tweeted.

Columbia Machine is a company that specialises in “mold manufacturing, parts & repair needs, offering full service and full cycle capabilities to keep your plant producing 24/”, according to the company website.

The attack marks the latest in a string of mass shootings that have torn apart communities and families across America in recent weeks, with lawmakers coming under growing pressure to pass common-sense gun control laws.

On 14 May, 10 Black people were shot dead by a self-proclaimed white supremacist and racist at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York.

Just 10 days later, 19 students aged just nine to 11 years old and two teachers were murdered in a mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

In both cases, the 18-year-old gunmen were able to legally purchase the AR-15s they then used in the massacres.

One day before the shooting in Maryland, survivors and victims’ family members testified before the House Oversight Committee and urged lawmakers to tackle the rise in gun violence.