Columbia mother sentenced to 20 years for attempted murder of two teens who robbed her son
A Columbia mother will serve 20 years in prison after attempting to murder two teenagers in October of 2024, per Howard County's State's Attorney's Office.
Dieneba Sekou Traore, 48, from Columbia, MD, was sentenced for her role in the shooting of two teenagers at a shopping center.
On October 12, 2024, the Howard County Police Department responded to a call for a shooting at a retail shopping center in the 8800 block of Centre Park Drive.
Two young adult males were found in a grassy area between a Giant grocery store and an IHOP, suffering from gunshot wounds to their legs.
A witness nearby reportedly saw the suspect shoot at a group of four teenagers before hopping back into the back passenger seat of a white SUV.
Surveillance footage confirmed that the two victims were amongst the group, and a white SUV was seen driving into the parking lot and exiting after the incident.
The vehicle was registered to Traore, who reported that her son was the victim of an armed robbery earlier that month, on October 7.
"Instead of seeking lawful avenues for accountability, the defendant chose violence; leaving two young people seriously injured and a community shaken. Today's sentence reflects the seriousness of those actions and reaffirms our commitment to protecting our residents by ensuring that justice is carried out in the courtroom, not in the streets," the release from the Office of the State's Attorney for Howard County stated.
Columbia crime stats
Crime in Columbia is trending down, according to Howard County Police.
The three most common offenses, per Howard County Police, are:
- Theft: 390 Offenses
- Assault: 214 Offenses
- Vandalism: 145 Offenses
In February, the county experienced a string of violent crimes, including a shooting near the Mall in Columbia that left both a 16 and a 15-year-old dead.
A rise in violent crimes near the Mall in Columbia prompted HCPD police to implement new crime prevention tactics, such as a new detail of uniformed and undercover officers.
"Howard County sees small fluctuations up and down in crime categories from year to year," Howard County Police Chief Gregory Der said at the time."When we see an ongoing problem, we will take all necessary measures and strategies to address it."
