Alleged Shooter Arrested in Lethal Rampage in Northeast

LAUREL, Del. — A man wearing a bulletproof vest killed two people and wounded four Thursday during a bizarre shooting rampage in Maryland and Delaware before he was arrested, authorities said.

Police said the suspect also carjacked a vehicle, fatally shot a dog, stole a pit bull and sprayed bullets at several homes and cars.

Delaware State Police Cpl. Jeff Oldham said authorities had determined possible motives for the attacks but were not releasing details. Police said the suspect, Allison L. Norman, 22, did not know the victims.

“Quite a morning for a little rural town,” said Laurel’s mayor, John Shwed.

Norman was charged with first-degree murder and handgun violations, officials said. He had failed to appear in court Wednesday for a hearing on four previous firearms charges. Clerk Mark Bowen said the court had issued a $10,000 bench warrant for Norman.

The attacks started in Laurel, where three men were shot, one fatally. His rampage continued across the border in Maryland as the gunman allegedly fired indiscriminately at cars, homes and pets before being caught while fleeing on foot. Three people were shot in Salisbury, Md., including one who died, Oldham said.

Two people were shot at an apartment building in Laurel and another at a nearby shopping center. “It was just poom, poom, poom, poom,” said Matilda Smith, a resident of the apartment building. “It just scared me so bad.”

She saw a young man covered in blood fall off an air-conditioning unit he had been sitting on, about 20 feet from her doorstep. “To me, what I could see was nothing but blood,” she said. “It shook me up.”

A trail of blood led down a road near the shopping center. Witnesses said a man was shot on the side of the road, then staggered along the storefronts before collapsing.

The mayor said the victim was apparently shot while trying to hitch a ride from the suspect as he fled the scene.

He kept firing at vehicles as he drove to Salisbury, where he carjacked a vehicle, police said. In Salisbury, police say he broke into a home and terrorized an elderly couple.

He also allegedly fired shots at a home in a Delaware town, with a bullet lodging near a sleeping child.

Maryland State Police said the suspect was wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying a handgun when he was caught in Salisbury.

“He was obviously prepared for a confrontation,” said Col. Thomas Hutchins, the Maryland police superintendent.

Of the four wounded people, two were listed in very serious condition.