CHARLES COUNTY, Md. — Two teens are facing charges in connection to a shooting that happened at a mall over the weekend in Charles County.
According to the Charles County Sheriff's Office, officers were called to the St. Charles Towne Center on Mall Circle in Waldorf just before 4:15 p.m. Sunday for reports of a shooting.
When officers arrived, they learned from witnesses that the shooter and accomplices appeared to be teenagers.
Investigators believe the teens were involved in a fight with two adults inside a mall business. The dispute continued into a common area of the mall, which is when officers say a 16-year-old boy took out a gun. One of the men arguing with the teen tried to intervene, but the suspect reportedly pointed the gun toward him and shot at the man. The bullet missed the man and instead hit the window of a store in the mall.
The teens ran after the shooting and were later found hiding behind a dumpster outside the mall. Officers say a gun was also found under the dumpster.
No one was injured in the shooting.
The two teens, only identified as a 16-year-old boy and a 17-year-old boy, were taken into custody and charged as adults.
The 16-year-old has been charged with attempted murder, first-degree assault, and other related charges. The 17-year-old faces a weapons violation charge.
Detectives are working to learn how the 16-year-old obtained the gun in the first place.
Asif Ali, who owns multiple businesses inside the mall, said he heard the shot, and immediately started running towards his daughter, who was working at a nearby kiosk in the mall.
"The only thing on my mind is my daughter," he said. "To save her because she is my everything. She is my heart.”
A spokesperson for the Sheriff's office said an argument started inside a business on the first floor of the mall.
"It’s a place where kids go, and there’s entertainment and games," Diane Richardson said. "And for some reason two groups of people started arguing. It’s a little unclear about what they’re arguing about. But it escalated into heated words that spilled into the common area of the mall."
Ali's daughter captured video of the argument leading up to the gun being fired. A teenager can be seen fighting with an adult, before a gun is fired off camera. Ali said that he wants increased security and police presence inside the mall.
"We want more security," he said. "We want definitely the police in the mall. We definitely want the police in the mall. Because this has been happening on the weekends. Fighting on the weekends."
An employee who was working at the Uniquely Crafted storefront inside the mall, said that she ran to the back of the store when the fight broke out. After the shooting, she realized that the bullet hit the window of her store.
"I'm still a little nervous and shaken up," she said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Bringley at 301-609-6499. Tipsters who want to remain anonymous may contact Charles County Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS.
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