GLENARDEN, Md. — A shooting that claimed the life of one man and injured two others marks the first crime-related death in the modern history of the Woodmore Towne Center development, which launched with the opening of a Wegman's grocery store in 2010. The shooting happened just before 11 p.m. Thursday evening in the 2250 block of Petrie Lane outside a Silver Diner restaurant, according to authorities.
The incident has left residents and shoppers at the 245-acre mixed-use development in Prince George's County shaken.
"We moved in this area because we're running from gunfire in D.C. and communities where they're always shooting," shopper Jean-MarcTcheffo said. "We came here to be safe."
Dr. Bonike Thomas-Ojo, who lives in the townhome community and whose son works at the center, said her sense of security is damaged.
“You think you're here and you think you're safe, and then you see things like that -- it makes you wonder where do we go next?" she questioned. "Or what's going to happen next? It really is worrisome."
Prince George's County police have not announced any arrests or released the identity of the victims of the shooting.
Friday morning, WUSA9 spoke to Calvin Adams, a witness who was at the diner at the time of the shooting. He said that someone entered the diner with a gun and everyone started screaming, "He got a gun! he got a gun!"
Adams said people at the diner started panicking and the man laid the gun down on the counter and sat down, while blood was gushing from his face. The man appeared to be full of blood everywhere and walked toward the diner's side door before falling to the ground, the witness said.
Adams also added that when officers arrived at the scene, they directed the injured man to keep calm before emergency crews arrived at the scene. Police cleared the diner and asked customers to exit and instructed them to stand outside. Adams said moments later police told customers that the man had died.
"I've never thought I would be a part of anything that's happening like this," Adams said. "I mean you see it on the news and just to see it, and to witness this man fighting for his life, it's not a good feeling."
Adams said that he believes the armed man who entered the diner was the person police pronounced dead at the scene.
At this time, there is no information regarding a suspect(s) involved or the motive behind the shooting.
Prince George's County Police later identified the victim as 29-year-old Rien Green of Bowie.
Prince George's County Fire/EMS told WUSA9, that there were three victims, however, only two were shot. It's still unclear how the third victim was injured.
The Woodmore Towne Centre website lists 49 different stores as being part of the shopping mall including Best Buy, Costco and Silver Diner.
Silver Diner tweeted in response to the shooting, initially saying "to our knowledge, the events occurred outside the diner, in the town center." That tweet has since been deleted and replaced by the tweet below, directing people to contact the police with any questions.