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Officers were called late in the afternoon on Saturday, July 27, where there was a reported shooting in the area of the food court with one person - later identified as Little - dead in the mall before the shooter fled the area.
That shooter was identified by police on Wednesday, Aug. 28 as Columbia resident William Marshall III - who also goes by "Junior" - and is now wanted for first-degree murder and other offenses related to the incident.
Police say that investigators have reviewed hundreds of hours of surveillance, leading them to identify Marshall as a suspect, with an assist from federal officials.
They previously released surveillance photo and video of the wanted suspect.
Through the video review, police said the shooting was specifically targeting Little, they added.
Investigators believe that the two teens knew each other, though a motive has not been determined weeks later.
According to police, the shooter was seen sitting at a table at the food court with his head down until Little walked toward a bathroom hallway.
He then got up from his table, followed the teen, waited for Little to exit the bathroom before firing a fatal shot from behind and running through a back door.
Little was pronounced dead at the scene and was found with a gun on him, investigators noted at the time.
Further investigation determined that Little was also the victim in a shooting in April 2023, which left him with injuries.
According to the Howard County Public School System, Marshall is an Oakland Mills High School student but has not attended school this year.
Detectives believe he may have left the immediate area following the shooting.
It remains under investigation.
"While Maryland state law typically does not allow a juvenile suspect’s identification to be released, even when charged as an adult, an exception exists 'for the sole purposes of facilitating apprehension of a child and ensuring public safety' when a criminal arrest warrant is issued," officials said.
"Howard County police are identifying Marshall publicly because his whereabouts remain unknown and he is considered a potential threat to the public due to the nature of his alleged crime."
A reward of up to $10,000 has been offered for information regarding the shooter.
Tipsters can contact investigators by calling (410) 313-STOP or emailing HCPDCrimeTips@howardcountymd.gov.
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