2 injured in shooting during meet-up for online sale in Laurel, Maryland

Two people were injured during a shooting in Laurel, Maryland, on Sunday, according to police. 

Officers said the shooting occurred in the Towne Centre at Laurel during a meet-up for an online sale. Officers responded to the 14700 block of Baltimore Avenue around 1 p.m. for the reported shooting. 

Both victims were taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. 

Officers urged residents to use designated safe locations for online transactions, including the Laurel Police Department at 811 5th Street or the Howard County Police Southern District Station at 11226 Scaggsville Road. The lobbies of the stations can also be used as a meet-up spot. 

The double shooting on Sunday occurred nearly three weeks after five people were injured during two separate violent incidents in a Laurel shopping center on Cinco de Mayo.

Three people were shot after a fight in a parking lot after an event hosted by Amigos Mexican Grill was shut down. Two people were stabbed in a separate domestic incident in the area, police said. 

Amigos Mexican Grill was temporarily shut down after the city suspended its use and occupancy permit. The Fire Marshal and Permit Services Department conducted a review, which found the restaurant misrepresented its security plan and the intended use for the space.

In April, Laurel Police recorded a total of four violent crimes, including two robberies, an aggravated assault and a sex offense, data shows. 

In March, police recorded nine violent crimes, including robberies and assaults.