An 18-year-old was killed in an apartment stairwell in Columbia on the night of December 17, 2023. At about 9:25 p.m., police responded to the 7600 block of Woodpark Lane after reports of gunfire and found two people shot in an open stairwell. Both victims were taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center; the other victim survived and was released, while Jeremiah Isaiah Darden died of his wounds overnight.

Investigators initially believed shots were fired from a passing vehicle and said the attack may not have been random. Detectives appealed to the public for information and offered a reward of up to $5,000 as they worked to reconstruct the events. A suspect was later arrested; charging details are part of the ongoing case.

If anyone in Columbia that night saw activity around Woodpark Lane or has dashcam or doorbell footage, please come forward with information.