"Very devastating and very scary:" Baltimore County neighbors grieving after 2 children shot to death inside home

A Baltimore County neighborhood is grieving after two children were found dead inside their Gwynn Oak home Tuesday evening. 

Police are stepping up patrols as they search for a suspect and offering a $2,000 reward in the case. 

Neighbors and investigators say things like this just don't happen on the residential street. Baltimore County Police Chief Robert McCullough said the worst calls they typically respond to in the area are for noise or speeding complaints. 

"I've seen a lot of things in my career, but this is horrific, it's tragic, and something that doesn't happen in this community," McCullough said during a news conference Tuesday night. "These are two lives that have been snuffed out before they could even get started."

Baltimore County Police said the parents arrived home around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and found the boy and girl, ages 9 and 15, had been shot. When officers arrived, they found the children dead. 

Detectives said they appear to be siblings. 

"I heard these horrific screams"

A neighbor, who did not want to be identified, said that while preparing dinner Tuesday night, she heard someone screaming.

"I heard these horrific screams... I went to the window, and at that time, I saw a woman coming out -- bent over, coming from her house," she said.

The neighbor said she didn't know the family, but saw them often. She said seeing a family with children who recently moved to Talles Road brought a smile to her face. 

"When you hear children, you just get joy," she said. "There's nothing like hearing them and seeing them in their bouncy having a good time."

She said they brought youthful energy to a neighborhood with older residents.

Another Gwynn Oak resident drove by the home Wednesday in shock after hearing about the shooting.

"Very, very devastating and very scary, because now you don't know who could have done this," Shelly Roscoe said. "[I] pray that whoever done this get caught soon."

Police searching for suspect in Gwynn Oak shooting

Investigators are now reviewing evidence and pursuing leads, hoping to find the suspect soon. Neighbors with Ring cameras nearby said they didn't pick up any unusual activity Tuesday afternoon. 

"We've tragically lost two juveniles," McCullough said Tuesday. "My heart goes out to this family. My heart goes out to this neighborhood. My heart goes out to the other children who may have gone to school or played with these two youths."

The chief said the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident. He wasn't ready to share whether anyone else was in the home at the time. 

"We are continuing to investigate this. I promise you that we will put every resource and every effort to try and solve this crime," he said. "Never have I seen something like this before in this neighborhood."

Councilman Julian Jones, who represents the area, released a statement Wednesday, saying in part, "I am heartbroken by the horrific shooting that took the lives of two children in Gwynn Oak. There is no act more cruel or more senseless than the murder of a child. My prayers are with their family, and their loved ones."

Jones also reaffirmed his trust in the Baltimore County Police Department, as they search for a suspect.

"These children deserved the chance to grow up, to pursue their dreams, and to live full lives," Jones said. "Justice is the very least we can offer their family now."

Anyone with information is urged to call Baltimore County Police at 410-887-3943 or 410-887-3700, or Metro Crimestoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP. A $2,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.