A Maryland teen accused of a shooting that left one person dead inside a Howard County mall in 2024 was arrested in Brooklyn, New York, U.S. Marshals and county police said Thursday. 

William Marshall III, 18, of Columbia, is accused of shooting and killing 17-year-old Angelo Little on July 27 at the Mall in Columbia.  Marshall was 17 years old at the time.

In 2024, police said Marshall was wanted for first-degree murder and other charges related to the shooting that occurred after an altercation near the food court. 

Marshall, who also goes by "Junior," specifically targeted Little, according to police. 

Police stated that Marshall was a student at Oakland Mills High School, but had not attended classes in 2024.

Warrant for teen's arrest

After the shooting, police circulated a picture of Marshall, asking the public to help in the search. Maryland law typically does not permit the release of a juvenile suspect's identification, even when they are charged; however, exceptions are made in cases where public safety is at risk. 

In addition to the picture, police also released a video showing Marshall running through several corridors of the mall, including the housekeeping hallway.

Police said they reposted the video last week to remind the public that they were continuing the search for Marshall. This post led to a tip from the public that Marshall was staying at an apartment in New York City.  

Howard County detectives, U.S. Marshals, and officers from the New York Police Department went to the location in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Wednesday night, searched the building, and found Marshall in an apartment. He was arrested at 6:30 a.m. and has been served the warrant, authorities said.

Investigators are still working to determine how Marshall ended up in New York, and if anyone assisted him in eluding law enforcement.

Marshall will have an extradition hearing in New York City before returning to Howard County to face a judge.

A $30,000 reward from Howard County Police and the U.S. Marshals Service was offered for information leading to Marshall's arrest. Officials are still determining possible eligibility for the reward.

Angelo Little's mother grieves loss

After the shooting, Charell Wilson, Angelo's mother, detailed the moment when she learned that her son had been tragically gunned down. 

"It was like a bad dream I'll never wake up from," Wilson told WJZ. 

Wilson recalled the last conversation she had with her son before he left for the mall. She told him to put together a list of things he needed for the start of school. He was preparing to begin his senior year at the Homewood Center in Ellicott City.

Wilson said she remembered her son as a "gentle giant" with dreams of becoming a chef. Little loved cooking and would often invite friends over to taste test his creations, she said.

Wilson and her son moved to Columbia from East Baltimore in 2014 because she thought it would be safer. She also told WJZ that she was not expecting to lose her son to gun violence in Columbia. 

"We need to do something, I don't know what it is, I can't even say what it is, but something needs to be done because this is not okay. My whole heart is gone," Wilson said. 

Columbia faces rise in youth violence

Howard County Police data shows a rising trend in homicides. There were five homicides in 2023 and nine in 2024.

In October 2024, a 17-year-old student at Howard High School was arrested at school with a loaded firearm in his backpack. He was later charged with first-degree murder in the killing of 26-year-old Kendrick McLellan, whose body was found in a vehicle behind a Columbia office complex.

On Feb. 22, 2025, another shooting near the Mall in Columbia left two teens dead.

Michael Robertson, 16, was shot and killed around 5:52 p.m. A 15-year-old was hospitalized after the shooting and died days later. 

Robertson was a sophomore at Wilde Lake High School, while the other teen victim was a freshman attending Oakland Mills High School.

Police arrested 18-year-old Emmetson Zeah in connection with the incident, charging him with murder. At the time, Zeah was already facing charges for a previous attempted murder and had violated the terms of his home detention.

In January, a 17-year-old was fatally shot during an attempted robbery in Columbia. Four suspects, including three teens, were charged in that incident.

In April, County Executive Calvin Ball announced the Youth Engagement Strategies Council (YES), aimed at youth engagement and violence prevention.