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Shooting at Maryland car meetup leaves 1 dead, 2 hurt, police say

Witnesses say there was a large group doing burnouts and revving car engines before shots were fired.

DISTRICT HEIGHTS, Md. — Prince George’s County Police say just before 2 a.m. Sunday they found two men shot in a shopping center parking lot along Marlboro Pike, one of those victims was found dead inside a car. Police say the other shooting victim was taken to the hospital in stable condition.

The man killed was later identified by police as 26-year-old John Phipps of Waldorf. Police also tell WUSA9, that a woman was injured but not shot. She was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. 

On Sunday afternoon, crime tape and car parts remain in the parking lot after a chaotic night. One witness said meetups here aren’t uncommon.

“Yeah, I don’t live far," said the witness who didn't want to provide his name, “I guess they just be partying. Showing their cars, burning tires. Just get together I guess.”

RELATED: 'It was so loud and so disturbing' | Residents react to street takeover in Prince George's Co.

He said the gatherings can be massive.

“That’s bad, man," said the witness. "It’s getting worse and worse each day.”

“These car meets are a true concern to law enforcement both in our region and across the country," said Prince George's County Police Chief Malik Aziz. When the department is made aware of specific, credible intelligence, the agency plans accordingly and allocates resources to either prevent or disperse the gathering. In addition, follow-up investigations are conducted and those who break any laws are charged accordingly. As is evident in this case, these gatherings can turn violent. We don’t want to see anyone injured or killed. The PGPD has worked with lawmakers to strengthen the laws and penalties surrounding these car meets and will continue to do so." 

A couple of hours earlier and a few miles away, another witness told WUSA9 he saw something similar from his hotel room near Ritchie Station Marketplace.

“It looked like the movies when you get like the Fast and the Furious, when they’re all getting together," said the witness that also did not want to give his name. "That’s what it looked like, a congregation of people in the parking lot and you had guys doing burnouts and crazy stuff.”

Tire marks and beer cans can still be seen in the parking lots at Ritchie Station Marketplace and nearby. 

“That went on for about a good hour," said the witness.

Police haven’t connected the two gatherings and haven’t announced any arrests in Sunday morning’s double shooting.

On Monday, WUSA9 spoke to a man who says he owns the property where the meetup happened. He said small car meetups are common, but the weekend meetup was "just crazy."

RELATED: Cracking down on lawless car meetups: Maryland considers new penalties

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