Gunman Opens Fire on Co-Workers at Maryland Countertop Facility

According to the Baltimore Sun and WTOP in Washington, D.C., a man opened fire on co-workers at a countertop fabrication shop Wednesday in Edgefield, Maryland, killing three and injuring two others. Before he was apprehended in a multi-state manhunt, 37 year-old Radee L. Prince drove to a car dealership in Wilmington, Del., where he shot another acquaintance in the head. The Delaware victim is expected to survive.

Prince allegedly pulled a gun around 9:00 a.m. at Advanced Granite Solutions where he had been working for the past four months as a machine operator. He proceeded to shoot five employees at the business, killing three: Jose Hidalgo Romero, 34; Enis Mrvoljak, 48; and Bayarsaikhan Tudev, 53. The two wounded employees were in critical condition at the Maryland Shock Trauma Center.

The gunman then fled the scene, driving to Wilmington, Delaware, where he shot an acquaintance around 10:45 a.m.

Police, FBI and ATF agents were alerted and searched for Prince for several hours until they found him in Newark, Del., after responding to a tip that he was in the area. When he noticed law enforcement approaching, Prince began to run, and he discarded a handgun of the same caliber used in the shootings. After a brief foot chase, Prince has apprehended at 7:05 p.m.

Authorities have yet to determine a reason for the shootings, but Prince has a long arrest record in Delaware that includes 15 counts of third-degree burglary, 30 other arrests and 15 felony convictions and four misdemeanor convictions.

Advanced Granite Solutions released the following statement: “Words cannot express our feelings. We mourn the loss of our friends. …May God give our friends eternal rest and the families the strength to bear the great pain.”

How to Respond to an Active Shooter

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued the following guidelines on how to respond to active shooter situations:

  1. Evacuate – Attempt to escape the premises if there is an available exit. Have an escape route in mind, and do not attempt to gather any of your belongings. If possible, help others escape with you while preventing others from entering areas in the line of sight of the shooter. Always keep your hands visible and follow instructions from law enforcement officers. Call 911 when you are safe.
  2. Hide out – If it is not possible to escape, find a secure place to hide. A good hiding place is out of the shooter’s view and provides protection from stray bullets. Try not to trap yourself or restrict your options for escaping should the need arise. Prevent the shooter from entering your hiding place by locking or blockading the door. Silence your cell phone and any other sources of noise. Hide behind large objects and remain quiet.
  3. Take action – If you cannot evacuate or hide, and your life is in imminent danger, your best chance of survival may be to take action against the active shooter. Act as aggressively as you can and yell. Throw objects or improvise weapons from nearby items. Commit to your actions. A half-heated attempt does not usually succeed.

When calling 911, be sure to provide the following information:

  • Your location and the location of the shooter
  • The number of active shooters
  • A physical description of the shooters
  • The number of known victims

When law enforcement arrives, remain calm and follow all of the officers’ instructions. Drop any items in your hands and raise them above your head with fingers spread. Do not make any sudden movements, including pointing and yelling. Do not ask which way to go to escape. Proceed in the direction from which the officers arrived.