3 Dead, 1 Hurt In Mass Shooting At Smithsburg Machine Manufacturing Plant

By Edward Era Barbacena

Three employees were killed, one employee is in critical condition after a mass shooting Thursday at the Columbia Machine manufacturing plant in Smithsburg, police said.

It was gathered that a Maryland State Police trooper was injured in a shootout with the suspect, who is in custody.

Washington County Sheriff Douglas Mullendore said Smithsburg Police responded to the workplace at the 12900 block of Bikle Road around 2:30 p.m. for a reported shooting, where they found an injured 42-year-old employee in a field outside the business. It is unclear where the three victims killed were found.

Police learned the suspect had already left the scene, and they were able to relay a suspect description and vehicle description, Mullendore said.

Maryland State Police said three troopers encountered the suspect vehicle 15 minutes after the workplace shooting on Mapleville Road at Mt. Aetna road in Hagerstown. When the troopers attempted to stop the vehicle, the suspect opened fire, striking a trooper, and the troopers returned fire, striking the suspect.

The trooper, a 25-year-veteran of the department, received medical treatment and was released with non-life-threatening injuries.

The shooter was then apprehended and is receiving medical attention as of 8:30 p.m, police said. His condition is unknown at this time.

The suspect was identified only as a 23-year-old Hispanic man, who is not being identified as he has not yet been charged.

Washington County Sheriff Douglas Mullendore identified those killed as 50-year-old Mark Alan Frey, 31-year-old Charles Edward Minnick and 30-year-old Joshua Robert Wallace. All three are white men.

In addition to the Maryland State Police, FBI agents and special agents with the Baltimore division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are assisting in the investigation.

Meritus Medical Center in Hagerstown was placed on lockdown for about two hours, as was a nearby church with a daycare center, police said.