A Columbia, Maryland, teenager was found guilty Tuesday of murder in the February 2025 shooting that left two other teens dead outside The Mall in Columbia.
Emmetson Zeah, 19, was convicted on all charges but one, including two counts of first-degree murder and other firearm-related offenses, after a bench trial.
“While no verdict can undo that loss, today’s decision delivers accountability and sends a clear message that this community will not tolerate this kind of violence,” Howard County State’s Attorney Rich Gibson said in a news release. “Our hearts remain with the victims’ families as they continue to grieve.”
The shooting led to deaths of 16-year-old Michael Robertson and 15-year-old Blake McCray.
On Feb. 22, 2025, officers responded to a report of shots fired at the parking lot and bus loop area near the Lidl in the 10300 block of Little Patuxent Parkway, police said.
Robertson was pronounced dead at the scene. McCray was taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he eventually died from his injuries.
Howard County police said surveillance footage, witness accounts, GPS monitoring and the defendant’s statement placed Zeah at the scene at the time of the crime.
When his home was searched, police said they also found a firearm consistent with casings found at the scene, as well as other evidence linking him to the shooting.
Zeah is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22.
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