Three dead, multiple injured in Maryland shooting

A shooting at a manufacturing plant in Maryland on Thursday left three people dead and three others injured, including the suspect, police stated.

The state police responded to the shooting around 2:30 pm local time at Columbia Machine Inc., in Smithsburg. Law enforcement found four victims, three of whom were dead on the scene and another who was critically wounded, Washington County Sheriff's Office said in a press release.

The perpetrator fled the scene before officials arrived. Maryland State Police encountered the suspect's vehicle and exchanged gunshots, police said. 

At that point, the suspect opened fire and hit a state trooper in the shoulder, Gov. Larry Hogan said during a press conference. The trooper responded by shooting the suspect.

Both the alleged gunman and the officer were transported for medical treatment, the sheriff's office said.

The local Herald-Mail Media observed a wrecked Mitsubishi Eclipse with West Virginia license plates located near the traffic circle, which is connected to the closed-off portion of Bickle Road.

The nearby Meritus Medical Center was also placed on lockdown shortly before 4 pm due to an emergency, the hospital stated in a news release. 

"That means no patients, visitors or staff may leave at this time, and we are only allowing patients experiencing a medical emergency," the center said, according to Herald-Mail Media. The lockdown was lifted by 6:15 pm.

Rep. David Trone (D-Md.) tweeted in response to the shooting.

"We are actively monitoring the mass shooting in #Smithsburg right now, and our office is in contact with officials on the ground. If you're local, please stay away from the area as law enforcement responds," he posted.