TOWSON, MD — Baltimore County police are investigating a Sunday evening shooting near Towson University that left an 18-year-old man injured and prompted a campus-wide shelter-in-place order.
Police said the alert was lifted shortly before 10 p.m., nearly three hours after officers responded to the scene. The victim was taken to a hospital and was listed Monday in critical but stable condition.
Investigators said the shooting and the young man wounded in it were not connected to Towson University. Police have not announced any arrests, though they said several people were detained as the response unfolded.
Shelter-in-place alert told students to lock doors and windows
The warning sent to students on Sunday was urgent and direct. It told people on campus, “This is not a drill,” and instructed them to close and lock windows and doors.
The message also told students to report anything unusual to police and wait for further instructions from local authorities. The alert reflected how quickly the situation was treated as a public safety concern while officers worked to understand what had happened nearby.
By late Sunday night, officials cleared the shelter-in-place order. The timing showed that the campus disruption was tied to the police response around the shooting scene rather than any confirmed threat involving the university itself.
Victim found near Campus View Drive and taken to a hospital
Police said officers found the 18-year-old man with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound near Campus View Drive. He was then taken to the hospital, where Baltimore County police said Monday he remained in critical but stable condition.
The shooting happened in the area of Cardiff Hall Apartments in the 8000 block of York Road, close to the Towson campus. That location helped explain why the incident triggered concern so quickly and led to the campus safety alert.
Officials have not publicly described what led to the shooting or identified the circumstances that brought the victim to that area. The investigation remains active as detectives continue to piece together what happened Sunday evening.
Police say the shooting was not tied to Towson University
One of the clearest points from police on Monday was that neither the shooting nor the victim were connected to Towson University. Baltimore County Police Det. Trae Corbin said investigators do not believe the case involved anything related to the school.
Corbin said, “We are able to say that this individual is not in any way related to Towson University, and we do not believe the shooting is related to anything in reference to Towson University.”
That statement helped distinguish the campus response from the criminal investigation itself. While the university was close enough to feel the effects immediately, police said the underlying case was separate from the school.
Several people detained as officers worked to secure the area
As investigators moved through the scene, police said several individuals were detained. Corbin said no arrests had been made as of Monday, and authorities asked the public to avoid the area so officers could safely resolve the incident.
Police also said they would increase patrols and deploy multiple units nearby to raise the police presence around the scene. That step was intended to support the investigation and help officers manage the area while they continued their work.
For nearby residents and students, the heavy response underscored how seriously police were treating the shooting. Even with the shelter-in-place order lifted, the broader investigation remained open and active.
Cardiff Hall Apartments management says it is coordinating with police
Continental Realty Corporation, which manages the Cardiff Hall Apartments, said it was in contact with law enforcement throughout the investigation. The company thanked Baltimore County police for their efforts and said it would continue to receive updates as they became available.
In a statement to CBS News Baltimore, the company said it remained in constant communication with officials and understood that the investigation was ongoing. The property is part of the area near York Road where the shooting was reported.
The company’s response added another layer of coordination around the scene, with property managers and police both tracking the situation as it developed.
Police ask anyone with information to call investigators
Baltimore County police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to contact investigators at 410-887-4636. Detectives have not released additional details about a suspect or a motive.
For now, the case centers on what happened near the Towson campus Sunday evening, how the response unfolded, and who may have been involved. Police have made clear that they are continuing to work the scene and follow up on leads.
The incident disrupted the area for several hours, but officials said the university itself was not part of the shooting. The investigation continues as police look for answers about the person who was wounded and the events that led up to the gunfire.
