ELKRIDGE, Md. — A tragic incident unfolded in Howard County when a man opened fire on his family, resulting in the deaths of three women and the injury of his son before taking his own life, according to authorities.
The Howard County police responded to multiple 911 calls around 10 p.m. on Thursday reporting gunshots at a residence in the 6900 block of Norwood Ferry. The suspect also called dispatchers, admitting to shooting his family members and expressing his intention to commit suicide.
Law enforcement officers entered the home and discovered the lifeless bodies of three women, two critically injured men, and an unharmed juvenile. The identified suspect, Nayyar Abbas Syed, 61, passed away at St. Agnes Hospital overnight.
The women who lost their lives in the tragic event were identified as Syeda Aalia Nayyar, 57 (the suspect’s wife), Syeda Fatima, 25 (their daughter), and Alizey Fatima, 33 (daughter-in-law). The suspect’s son, Muhammad Ali Hamza, 31, sustained critical injuries and was transported to Shock Trauma for treatment.
Fortunately, the suspect’s 3-month-old granddaughter was unharmed and was placed under the care of a relative. While all the victims resided at the Norwood Ferry residence, the suspect lived elsewhere, and there were no signs of forced entry, indicating that the suspect routinely visited the home.
At this point, investigators have not released any additional information regarding the tragic incident, but the authorities have assured that the report will be updated as more details become available.