CHILD DEAD AND MOTHER INJURED IN WICOMICO CO. SHOOTING

(HEBRON, MD) – Maryland State Police are continuing to investigate a Wicomico County shooting that left a child dead and his mother injured last night.

The deceased is identified as Jamal A. Woolford Jr., 4, of the 100-block of Old Railroad Road, Hebron, Md. He was pronounced dead last night at the Peninsula Regional Medical Center. An autopsy is expected to be performed today.

The injured victim is identified as Shanice A. Kellam, 24, who is Jamal’s mother and lives at the same address. She is being treated at Peninsula Regional Medical Center. At this time her wounds are not believed to be life threatening.

Just before 9:30 p.m. yesterday, Maryland State Police at the Salisbury Barrack received a 911 call from the victim’s address reporting a shooting. Troopers, county deputies, and EMS personnel responded to the scene. They found Jamal Woolford Jr., who had sustained what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the chest and his mother, who had what appeared to be gunshot wounds to her hand, arm and shoulder.

The father of the deceased victim was also in the home, as was a seven-year-old daughter of Shanice Kellam. Neither of them was injured.

Maryland State Police Homicide Unit investigators responded to the scene and are conducting the investigation. They are being assisted by investigators from the Wicomico Bureau of Investigation, troopers from the Salisbury Barrack, State Police crime scene technicians, and officers from the Salisbury Police Department.

The preliminary investigation indicates that Shanice Kellam was asleep in her bedroom when she was awakened by something hitting her. She awoke to see her son wounded in the chest and then realized she was also bleeding. She ran with her son into the living room to her son’s father who had just returned home and 911 was called.

Investigators have learned Jamal Woolford Jr.’s father owned a handgun that was kept in the bedroom. Police have also been told the child had previously been seen playing with the handgun.

Investigators have obtained a search warrant for the scene and technicians continue to process the home for evidence. A large caliber handgun has been recovered on the bed where the shooting is believed to have occurred.

The investigation is continuing.