LINKWOOD, Md. - Maryland State Police are investigating a fatal shooting in Dorchester County early Tuesday morning that claimed the life of a child.
According to MSP, troopers were called to Rt. 50 on reports of a shooting around 2:15 a.m. on Aug. 11. Upon arrival, police say they found two victims who had been shot.
A five-year-old girl was killed in the shooting, according to investigators. A 30-year-old man was flown to a local trauma center for treatment.
The shooting happened near the home of Reverend Vernetter Pinder, who said she was awakened by noises early Tuesday morning.
“When I was awakened with the noise and saw that, I immediately thought it was just an accident," Pinder said. "And then later on, I saw a lot of police officers and everything gathering up. It was heart wrenching what went through my mind about what could be going on.”
Pinder said she and other neighbors initially did not know what was happening and avoided speculating while police responded.
“We could hear noises and that was all," Pinder told WBOC. "And that was when we started thinking what could be going wrong? We weren't there, so we didn't want to speculate too much and let the police officers do their job.”
Pinder said shootings are uncommon in Linkwood and described the area as a supportive community.
“It's always been a close knit community as well. And so when something like this happens, we know that it is not something we're not used to or accustomed to, but we have to work together and love one another as God loves us.”
Lara Hurtado, who lives in Linkwood, said the shooting has left her in shock.
“Because you just don't think those things will happen here," Hurtado said. "And it's a great tragedy, a loss of life, especially one so young.”
Hurtado said learning that a child lost her life so close to home has been especially difficult.
“It makes me sad," Hurtado told WBOC. "It, hurts, to know somebody not too far from us, you know, lost a family member. And the child, you know, didn't even get to live a life.”
She said the shooting is far outside what she would expect to see in Linkwood.
“To have something like this happen is just so out of the norm. And it's just crushing because, you know, a child, small child was killed.”
Investigators from the Maryland State Police Homicide Unit responded to the scene, along with Crime Scene Technicians from the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division, who processed the scene for evidence.
The investigation into the shooting is ongoing. Police ask anyone with information to contact them at 410-822-3101.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
