Men injured in Odenton shooting are talking

The two men wounded in a quadruple shooting Sunday that left two of their friends dead behind an Odenton shopping center remained in critical condition at the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore this morning.

Despite their injuries, county police have interviewed both men and have established a possible motive for the 1:30 a.m. shooting in the rear parking lot of North Odenton Plaza, across from Fort George G. Meade, said Capt. David Waltemeyer, commander of the county Police Department's Criminal Investigation Division.

Police will not name the two men, ages 23 and 30, for their safety, or release the possible motive, but said interviews with the men have led investigators to several persons of interest in the case.

Detectives have served multiple search warrants since the shooting and have seized evidence, Capt. Waltemeyer said. He said police collected "valuable evidence" in the North Odenton Plaza parking lot Sunday morning and are examining it at the crime lab.

Police also obtained video footage from surveillance cameras in the shopping center.

"The video has proven beneficial," Capt. Waltemeyer said.

He said the two men, both of Annapolis, had gone to the shopping center in the 1600 block of Annapolis Road with their friends, Terence James Covington, 25, and DeMarcus Terrell Beans, 20, who were also from Annapolis.

At just after 1:30 a.m., Mr. Covington and Mr. Beans were discovered suffering gunshot wounds in a dark, dead-end off the plaza parking lot.

A 23-year-old man also was found in the parking lot, suffering at least one gunshot wound. The fourth shooting victim, a 30-year-old man, was found in a wrecked vehicle nearby on the 1400 block of Annapolis Road.

Both were driven to shock trauma with life-threatening injuries, said Battalion Chief Matthew Tobia, a county Fire Department spokesman. Mr. Covington and Mr. Beans were pronounced dead at the scene.

While the majority of businesses in the shopping center were closed at the time, Traffic Bar and Lounge had just announced last call before the shooting.

Police would not say what the four men were doing in the parking lot. However, Capt. Waltemeyer said the bar was packed.

"I know they were at the rear of the business, toward the back, but I don't know exactly why, " he said. "We were told the bar was full, so maybe it's simply because that's the only place they could park (or) stop."

Jorge Flores, who works the evening shift at Deno's Pizza in the shopping center, said Traffic Bar and Lounge brings in large crowds on Friday and Saturday nights. He said the lot fills to capacity, with many customers using the dark dead-end for parking.

After last call is announced, Mr. Flores said dozens of bar patrons usually spill into the parking lot and continue to socialize.

Police believe the four men knew who shot them.

"We do believe that the victims are associated with the suspect (or suspects)," Capt. Waltemeyer said. "(We) can't say if we have one or more than one shooter at this point."

Investigators are gathering information from the families of Mr. Covington, a father of four, and Mr. Beans, the uncle of Mr. Covington's children.

"The family of the deceased have been a great help to us and we have maintained constant contact with them," Capt. Waltemeyer said.

Detectives also are working closely with the Annapolis Police Department to share and collect information about the shooting victims, and also to exchange information about a shooting in Annapolis just 12 hours after the quadruple shooting in Odenton.

Police will not say if the Odenton shooting is linked to the shooting of a Severn man later that afternoon on Betsy Court.

However, Mr. Beans has family on that block, and Mr. Covington was arrested Dec. 31 at 804 Betsy Court on a warrant charging him with escaping from a correctional facility, according to court records.

A patrol officer found Maurice L. Brown, 29, lying on the ground near 819 Betsy Court about 1:15 p.m. Sunday. He was flown to shock trauma, where he remained in serious but stable condition this morning, said Cindy Rivers, a shock trauma spokesman.

Annapolis Police Department Chief Michael A. Pristoop said Monday that the city is in constant communication with the county Police Department regarding the shootings.

The departments are having regular intelligence meetings and are working jointly when appropriate, Chief Pristoop said.

"We want to make sure we don't miss a beat in information sharing," he said.

He would not say if the two shootings are connected.

"We're looking at all possibilities," Chief Pristoop said.

Capt. Waltemeyer said county police are working around the clock, conducting interviews and following up with tips they have received through the Metro Crime Stoppers hotline and Web site.

"You can say we have gotten some cooperation in this case, but still need more people to step forward with information and accounts of what happened in the parking lot," he said.

Mr. Flores said dozens of people were likely in the parking lot at the time of the shooting.

"A lot of people are walking around and drinking," he said. "People park back there."

He said police held everyone in the parking lot following the shooting for questioning. He was not able to leave the shopping center until after 3 a.m.

Police are asking anyone with information to call the Metro Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-866-7LOCKUP. Tipsters may also submit information through the Web site www.metrocrimestoppers.net. All tips can be submitted anonymously.