Howard County police are offering up to $2,500 to individuals who can provide information about a Columbia shooting Monday morning connected to an illegal car rally where one person was killed and seven others were injured.
Leo Noel Balladares-Arita, a 24-year-old from Falls Church, Virginia, was killed in the shooting.
Police arrived at a parking garage in the 6700 block of Alexander Bell Drive at about 5:27 a.m. on April 27, responding to a report of the shooting.
Balladares-Arita was found dead at the scene. A 19-year-old woman was taken to a hospital.
In the hours that followed, five other victims came into area hospitals: three 20-year-old men, an 18-year-old man, and a 16-year-old girl.
A seventh victim walked into a Virginia hospital with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound that police believe is connected to the Columbia shooting.
Two of the 20-year-old men are still at the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The other individuals have been discharged.
All of the victims are from Virginia. Police believe many if not all of the car rally participants are also from Virginia and know eachother.
Detectives believe there were multiple shooters. They are still investigating the motive for the shooting.
Individuals with information about the shooting should contact police by calling 410-313-STOP or emailing HCPDcrimetips@howardcountymd.gov. You can stay anonymous.
