COLUMBIA, Md. (WJZ) — A Maryland man was arrested for attempted murder after he shot at a driver who parked in his assigned parking spot Monday morning.
According to Howard County Police. 47-year-old Cornelius H. Harcum of Columbia is charged with attempted first and second-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, illegal possession of a firearm and related charges.
Officers were called to the 6300 block of Red Haven Road at 2:15 a.m. for reports of shots fired.
“My boyfriend heard the shots. He woke me up and by the time I looked out the window six police cars were out here,”
Police say 47-year-old Harcum found out that someone took his assigned parking spot on Red Haven Road.
When police got to the neighborhood, a man told them he parked in a residential lot while visiting a friend and was standing outside his vehicle when he was approached by Harcum and told to move. Harcum then fired three shots into the air, two of which hit a car.
The victim was not struck, but two rounds struck his vehicle.
Detectives began investigating and located a resident who provided surveillance video that contained images of the suspect.
Through investigation, detectives identified the man on the video as Harcum. He was arrested that evening.
“Very pleasant man. I lived here for almost four years, he’s always been a very nice guy, friendly,” A neighbor said.
One neighbor said parking is always an issue, and homeowners sometimes lose their spaces to visitors.
Police do not believe the two knew each other.
“To our knowledge, there was nothing that happened just prior to this. The young man told us that he parked his car, got out of the vehicle and very shortly thereafter was approached by a man with a gun. We don’t think they knew one another,” said Sherry Llewellyn, Howard County Police.
Harcum now faces severe charges including attempted murder and possessing a weapon despite a prior conviction.
“I can confirm that there were charges related to the fact that he possessed guns that apparently he shouldn’t have,” Llewellyn said.
Harcum is being held without bond at the Howard County Detention Center. No one was hurt in the incident.
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