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3 found dead, suspect dead in Brookeville shooting

3 found dead, suspect dead in Brookeville shooting
WEBVTT GUN DEALERS. >> HE WAS A WEIRD GUY. HE WOULD SHOOT TURKEY BUZZARDS OFF THE NEIGHBOR ROOF IN THAT KIND OF STUFF. KATE: WE TALKED TO A NEIGHBOR AFTER POLICE IDENTIFIED HER NEIGHBOR AS THE SUSPECT BEHIND A TRIPLE MURDER MONDAY AFTERNOON IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, NOT FAR FROM THE HOWARD COUNTY LINE. >> PRE-MUCH EVERYONE KNEW TO STAND CLEAR OF HIM, NOT TRY TO CROSS HIM. KATE: LOCAL POLICE AND FEDERAL ATF AGENTS CONTINUED COMING FOR LOOKING FOR CLUES. HE HELD HIS WIFE IN THEIR HOME FOR DAYS. THEY SAY SHE BROKE FREE MONDAY AND RAN NEXT TO HER FOR HELP. POLICE SAY HE FOLLOWED HER, SHOT AND KILLED THREE PEOPLE INSIDE, AND HOLD UP IN HIS HOUSE FOR HOURS KILLING HIMSELF AROUND 11 P.M. >> THE THING WE ARE REALIZING NOW IS LEARNING THE HISTORY OF WHAT HE HAS GOT WITH THESE -- WITH THIS SELLING ARMS, HE HAS A LICENSED GUN DEALER. CAGE: HE WAS A FEDERALLY LICENSED GUN DEALER. HE HELD A TYPE ONE FEDERAL FIREARMS LICENSE UNDER A COMPANY CALLED BLACK WIDOW ENTERPRISES, LLC WHICH HE MOVED TO BROOKFIELD FROM ITS ORIGINAL ADDRESS IN ELLICOTT CITY. >> WE ALL IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AT LEAST THOSE OF US WHO USED TO CHITCHAT FELT HE WAS UP TO SOMETHING. CAGE: REACTION FROM SNYDER’S FORMER NADER -- NEIGHBORS, THEY KNEW HIM AS CHRIS AND DESCRIBE A SORT OF UNEASE THANKS TO SNYDER’S BEHAVIOR AND BASEMENT GUN SAFE. >> ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY BECAUSE JUST THE LIVING SITUATION SEEMED VERY UNUSUAL. CAGE: NEIGHBORS IN THESE COMMUNITIES DESCRIBED SIMILAR INTERACTIONS THAT THEY HAVE HAD WITH MR. SNYDER CONCERNING THE LARGE NUMBER OF DOGS HE WOULD KEEP AT -- AT HIS HOME AND BOTH NEIGHBORHOODS SAYING HIS BEHAVIOR WAS STRANGE AND IT APPEARS TO HAVE ESCALATED OVER THE YEARS.
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3 found dead, suspect dead in Brookeville shooting
Three people were fatally shot in a house in Brookeville, three others were able to escape and the suspect was found dead hours later, Montgomery County police said.Police were called around 3:44 p.m. Monday to the 22000 block of Brown Farm Way for a possible domestic situation involving a person with a gun. Montgomery County Police Chief Thomas Manger said 911 call-takers could hear gunshots in the background of some of the calls they were receiving."First responders came to the scene, they located multiple fatalities and backed out of the house believing it was not safe," Montgomery County police Capt. Paul Starks said.Manger said authorities found three adults fatally shot in the house, but they weren't the only ones in the house."Officers learned that three other adults who had also been at the home at the time of the shooting had been able to escape from the home unharmed. One of those adults was the suspect's wife," Manger said.Police identified the deceased victims Tuesday as Mary Ann Olson, 66, who lives at the house where the shooting occurred; Danny Lee Murphy, 70, of Brandon, South Dakota, who was visiting the homeowners; and Craig Harold Shotwell, 54, of Owings Mills, who was performing work at the house."(Shotwell was) just a really hard worker. He was just a nice guy," said Chris Justice, Shotwell's neighbor.Police said the suspect, Christopher Wilson Snyder, 41, fled to his house across the street.Police tweeted at 5:48 p.m. that residents in the area should shelter in place. At 10:50 p.m., Starks said people were still being asked to remain in their homes.Montgomery County police officers, Montgomery County sheriff's deputies, Montgomery County fire and rescue crews and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents were all at the scene through the night. Tactical units and negotiators were also brought to the scene.Police said negotiators were speaking via telephone with Snyder, who refused to come out."The negotiators began talking to Snyder over the phone in an attempt to get him to surrender," Manger said. "Those negotiations went on for several hours."Tactical officers ultimately forced their way into the house around 11 p.m."When they breached the front door, the suspect was on the phone with negotiators. He asked the negotiator, 'Did they just break in to the front door?' and then hung up the phone. At that point, officers who were outside the home heard a single gunshot," Manger said.Manger said Snyder was found deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.Police said they believe Snyder went to the victims' home because his wife escaped to a neighbor's house. She told police she was being "held by him" over the weekend."She reports that she had been held by her husband over the weekend and took an opportunity to run out of the house and run into the neighbor's house," Manger said.The tactical team was searching the rest of the house because, during the negotiations, police learned that there could be explosives and several guns inside the house, Manger said.Manger said the suspect was known to police."We've had contact with this suspect in the past over a number of different issues," Manger said.Who was Christopher Snyder?Neighbor Becky Sisson was told to shelter in place in the Brookeville Crossing neighborhood for much of the hours-long standoff. "We all pretty much knew to stay away from this guy. You knew that his ducks weren't all lining up," Sisson said. "He was just a weird guy. He would shoot turkey buzzards off the neighbors roof. That kind of stuff."According to ATF, Snyder was a licensed gun dealer, confirming he held a Type 1 federal firearms license under the company Balckwidow Enterprises, LLC.He had moved to Brookeville originally from Ellicott City."We all felt that he was up to something," said an Ellicott City neighbor.Neighbors said they knew him as Chris, and describe an unease to Snyder's behavior and basement gun safe."Just the living situation seemed very unusual," the Ellicott City neighbor said.Neighbors in both Ellicott City and Brookeville described similar interactions they had with Snyder, describing the high number of dogs he would keep in his home and interactions with local police. They said his behavior was strange and continued to escalate over the years.Refresh wbaltv.com and our app, and watch 11 News for late-breaking updates.

Three people were fatally shot in a house in Brookeville, three others were able to escape and the suspect was found dead hours later, Montgomery County police said.

Police were called around 3:44 p.m. Monday to the 22000 block of Brown Farm Way for a possible domestic situation involving a person with a gun. Montgomery County Police Chief Thomas Manger said 911 call-takers could hear gunshots in the background of some of the calls they were receiving.

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"First responders came to the scene, they located multiple fatalities and backed out of the house believing it was not safe," Montgomery County police Capt. Paul Starks said.

Manger said authorities found three adults fatally shot in the house, but they weren't the only ones in the house.

"Officers learned that three other adults who had also been at the home at the time of the shooting had been able to escape from the home unharmed. One of those adults was the suspect's wife," Manger said.

Police identified the deceased victims Tuesday as Mary Ann Olson, 66, who lives at the house where the shooting occurred; Danny Lee Murphy, 70, of Brandon, South Dakota, who was visiting the homeowners; and Craig Harold Shotwell, 54, of Owings Mills, who was performing work at the house.

"(Shotwell was) just a really hard worker. He was just a nice guy," said Chris Justice, Shotwell's neighbor.

Craig Harold Shotwell
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Police said the suspect, Christopher Wilson Snyder, 41, fled to his house across the street.

Police tweeted at 5:48 p.m. that residents in the area should shelter in place. At 10:50 p.m., Starks said people were still being asked to remain in their homes.

Montgomery County police officers, Montgomery County sheriff's deputies, Montgomery County fire and rescue crews and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents were all at the scene through the night. Tactical units and negotiators were also brought to the scene.

Police said negotiators were speaking via telephone with Snyder, who refused to come out.

"The negotiators began talking to Snyder over the phone in an attempt to get him to surrender," Manger said. "Those negotiations went on for several hours."

Tactical officers ultimately forced their way into the house around 11 p.m.

"When they breached the front door, the suspect was on the phone with negotiators. He asked the negotiator, 'Did they just break in to the front door?' and then hung up the phone. At that point, officers who were outside the home heard a single gunshot," Manger said.

Manger said Snyder was found deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Police said they believe Snyder went to the victims' home because his wife escaped to a neighbor's house. She told police she was being "held by him" over the weekend.

"She reports that she had been held by her husband over the weekend and took an opportunity to run out of the house and run into the neighbor's house," Manger said.

The tactical team was searching the rest of the house because, during the negotiations, police learned that there could be explosives and several guns inside the house, Manger said.

Manger said the suspect was known to police.

"We've had contact with this suspect in the past over a number of different issues," Manger said.

Who was Christopher Snyder?

Neighbor Becky Sisson was told to shelter in place in the Brookeville Crossing neighborhood for much of the hours-long standoff.

"We all pretty much knew to stay away from this guy. You knew that his ducks weren't all lining up," Sisson said. "He was just a weird guy. He would shoot turkey buzzards off the neighbors roof. That kind of stuff."

According to ATF, Snyder was a licensed gun dealer, confirming he held a Type 1 federal firearms license under the company Balckwidow Enterprises, LLC.

He had moved to Brookeville originally from Ellicott City.

"We all felt that he was up to something," said an Ellicott City neighbor.

Neighbors said they knew him as Chris, and describe an unease to Snyder's behavior and basement gun safe.

"Just the living situation seemed very unusual," the Ellicott City neighbor said.

Neighbors in both Ellicott City and Brookeville described similar interactions they had with Snyder, describing the high number of dogs he would keep in his home and interactions with local police. They said his behavior was strange and continued to escalate over the years.

Refresh wbaltv.com and our app, and watch 11 News for late-breaking updates.

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This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.
This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.