State investigators said three Howard County police officers shot and killed a man early Sunday morning at an apartment complex in Columbia after he refused to drop a knife.
Witnesses showed WJZ Investigates the location of the body, near the entrance to Patuxent Commons, a new apartment complex on Freetown Road in Hickory Ridge, with units set aside as affordable housing for senior citizens and people living with disabilities.
State investigators said three Howard County police officers shot and killed a man early Sunday morning at an apartment complex in Columbia after he refused to drop a knife.
CBS News Baltimore
How the police shooting unfolded
The police response began at 12:09 a.m. Sunday.
Police said they received a 911 call from a man who threatened to harm himself.
In dispatch audio, a first responder said, “We were speaking with a caller on the phone. He began making suicidal statements.”
Police could not find the man when they arrived.
“Can we get another couple units over here to start making checks for this guy?” police asked on dispatch audio. “He’s not in his apartment.”
As the officers exited the apartment building, they said the man was in the parking lot walking toward them with a knife in one hand.
They said they told him to drop that knife several times, but he refused.
That is when three officers opened fire, according to the Maryland Office of the Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division, which investigates all fatal incidents where police are involved.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene.
WJZ Investigates spoke with witnesses who watched the incident unfold from the windows of the building.
A witness who wanted to remain anonymous told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren said he heard six shots.
“It was very frightening, very frightening,” the man said. “Basically, all he said [was], ‘Let’s party. I want to party. I told you there was going to be a party.’”
The man said he did not see the man’s knife from his vantage point.
A witness who wanted to remain anonymous told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren said he heard six shots.
CBS News Baltimore
The attorney general’s investigators said the incident was captured on officers’ body-worn cameras and police did recover a knife near the man.
“It needs to be investigated to the fullest, to the fullest extent it needs to be investigated,” the witness said. “I just can’t understand how something like this tragically happened.”
Unique building
The building, Patuxent Commons, opened late last year to much fanfare, including a speech by the county executive steps from where the shooting unfolded Sunday.
“Patuxent Commons is great because it represents our values in action,” Howard County Executive Calvin Ball told the crowd at the ribbon cutting in November 2025.
The building, Patuxent Commons, opened late last year to much fanfare, including a speech by the county executive steps from where the shooting unfolded Sunday.
Howard County Government
Patuxent Commons is a $44 million public private partnership led by the Autism Society of Maryland. One quarter of the units are set aside for people with disabilities and 40 percent as affordable housing for seniors.
The Autism Society of Maryland and Mission First Housing told WJZ Investigates in a joint statement, “This is a disturbingly tragic event, and we have been in touch with the family to express our deepest sorrow and offer support.”
The organizations stressed, “Our immediate focus is on supporting residents and staff who are experiencing shock, grief, and trauma.”
Police incidents
Howard County police declined to comment on the apartment shooting.
The attorney general’s team has 20 business days to release the body-worn camera footage and two business days to release the name of the man who died and the officers.
This is the second death involving Howard County police this year.
The Maryland Attorney General’s office is still investigating a fatal crash in January that happened as police tried to pull over a teenager for speeding.
Full statement from Autism Society of Maryland and Mission First Housing:
“Early Sunday morning, a resident of Patuxent Commons was shot and killed outside of the property following a wellness check by the Howard County Police Department. The Autism Society of Maryland (AUSOM) and Mission First Housing Group (Mission First) deeply mourn this loss. This is a disturbingly tragic event, and we have been in touch with the family to express our deepest sorrow and offer support.”
“The Howard County Police Department and Maryland Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division are conducting a full investigation. They have issued a statement and no further information is available at this time.”
“Any questions concerning the incident should be directed to the Howard County Police Department. Mission First is cooperating fully with authorities and will continue to do so.”
“Together, we support a full investigation of this tragedy on behalf of the family, the residents of Patuxent Commons, the entire Howard County community, and members of the disability community.”
“Our immediate focus is on supporting residents and staff who are experiencing shock, grief, and trauma. Staff members are on site at this time and additional staff and grief counselors will be in the community tomorrow, Monday, March 2, to respond to resident concerns and offer support.”
“Patuxent Commons exists to provide safe, affordable, inclusive housing rooted in community for adults with disabilities, older adults and families. That mission has not changed. We are committed to fully understanding the chain of events that led to this tragedy and learning everything we can once the investigation is complete.”
More from CBS News