Tributes pour in for three factory workers killed by colleague in Maryland mass shooting

A 23-year-old employee at Columbia Machine in Smithsburg is accused of shooting and killing three coworkers and wounding a fourth

Tributes have poured in for the three factory workers who were shot and killed by a coworker at a Maryland manufacturing facility in the latest mass shooting to rock an American community.

Mark Alan Frey, 50, Charles Edward Minnick Jr, 31, and Joshua Robert Wallace, 30, died in the attack at the Columbia Machine in Smithsburg on Thursday afternoon.

A fourth victim – another employee at the plant identified as 42-year-old Brandon Chase Michael – was also critically injured and a trooper was shot in the shoulder, but has since been treated and released from hospital.

Wallace had only been working at Columbia Machine for six months before Thursday’s horror attack, with his Facebook profile revealing he started the job in December 2021.

The 30-year-old also had a love of the outdoors and how went on several camping, fishing and hunting trips, according to a friend.

Wallace’s girlfriend posted a heartbreaking tribute on Facebook describing him as “the love of my life” as she confirmed that he was one of the victims of the mass shooting.

“I’m so sorry to say that Joshua Wallace was one of the ones who was killed in todays shooting.. my heart is completely shattered,” said Taylor Toms.

“I lost the love of my life today. I love you so much baby, I hate this. Our future is gone, you’re gone, I can’t believe your gone. God I love you so much.”

The 30-year-old victim’s cousin Brad Wallace also remembered him and slammed his life being taken “in such a merciless way”.

“Rest in peace my dear Cousin Joshua Wallace. Your life was taken too young and in such a merciless way,” he wrote.

“I love you with all my heart and know you will be with your Dad looking over us all.”

Joshua Wallace was one of the victims of Thursday’s shooting (Facebook)

A friend also paid tribute to his “buddy” who he said would now be “hunting in heaven”.

“As hard as it is to inform everyone we lost a member today Joshua Wallace.. not just a great friend, but a wonderful Family member,” the friend wrote on Facebook.

“You will be missed buddy, we had many camping, fishing trips and hunting trips planned, fly high brother, I know you’ll be hunting in heaven shoot us a monster while you’re up there I’ll see ya soon.”

Minnick, 31, was a married father-of-one with his family saying his baby girl must now grow up without her father.

Kari Kelly, an older cousin of Minnick, fondly remembered growing up with him in an emotional social media post and spoke out against the number of mass shootings across America, saying her cousin is “not just a number that will be easily forgotten”.

“291. This is the number of mass shootings that have occurred in the US this year, so far, as of yesterday,” wrote The shooting in Smithsburg, MD yesterday, killed my youngest cousin, Charles Edward Minnick Jr,” she wrote.

“He was a father and husband, a son, a brother. He was not just a number that will be easily forgotten when the next mass shooting takes place – which will very likely happen before the end of the day.

“The best memories I have of CJ are of when he was very young. I had been the youngest cousin for a long time and quite frankly hated being the youngest. I always wanted a baby brother…mostly, I think, because I wanted someone smaller than me that I could boss around... CJ was an adorable baby.

“And I don’t say this lightly…his chubby cheeks, dimples, massive blue eyes, and ridiculously long eye lashes could get him just about whatever he wanted. He was a sweet baby, and a gentle, loving child.

Mark Frey had worked for Columbia Machine since 2019 (Facebook)

“I can only think now of his own baby…who looks so very much like CJ did. She has now lost her father, so young, to an act of gun violence. He is not just a number.

“None of the people we’ve lost are. I will do whatever I can to make sure that is not the case…to make sure they are remembered for the humans they were and the dreams that could have been.

“And I will do whatever in my power to make sure that unnecessary tragedies such as these don’t keep occurring.”

Another relative of Minnick paid tribute to him as his “little buddy” and “more than a son”.

“Please pray for my wonderful wife and family and the other famil[ies] involved with today’s shooting in Smithburg,” wrote Larry Specht, who is married to Minnick’s mother.

“We lost a son today, he was more than a son, he was my little buddy. RIP CJ, we will miss you much.”

Frey’s grieving wife Angie Frey updated her Facebook profile picture to an image of her husband following his death.

The 50-year-old had worked at Columbia Machine since 2019, according to his Facebook page.

Columbia Machine CEO Rick Goode said in a statement that he was “deeply saddened” by the deaths of the three employees.

“We are working closely with local authorities, while the investigation continues,” the statement read.

“Our highest priority during this tragic event is the safety and wellbeing of our employees and their families.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with those that lost family members or were affected by this tragic event.”

Washington County Sheriff’s Office said that the gunman is a 23-year-old man from West Virginia who also worked at the manufacturing plant in western Maryland.

He was injured following a brief chase and shootout with state troopers and remains in hospital.

Charles Minnick (left) worked at the plant in Maryland (Facebook)

His identity is not being released until charges are filed, the sheriff’s office said.The shooting unfolded at around 2.30pm on Thursday afternoon when officers were called to reports of an active shooter at Columbia Machine along Bikle Road in Smithsburg.

Officers arrived on the scene and found Mr Michael wounded outside of the business, according to the sheriff’s office.

Officers then entered the building where they found three victims dead on the scene.

The male suspect had already fled the scene in a vehicle before officers arrived with a description of both the suspect and the vehicle quickly circulated to responding units.

Maryland State Police troopers then encountered the alleged shooter in the vehicle in the area of Mapleville Road and Mount Aetna Road and a shootout broke out.

Both a trooper and the suspect were shot in the incident and were taken to hospital for treatment.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan said at an earlier press conference that state police “pursued the suspect” who then opened fire on them, shooting a trooper in the shoulder.

The trooper returned fire and “shot him back”, he said.

The trooper suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was treated and released from hospital on Thursday night.

The suspect remains in police custody at Meritus Medical Center which his condition unknown.

The condition of the fourth victim found at the manufacturing plant remains unclear.

A semi-automatic handgun was used in the attack, according to authorities.

The sheriff’s office said that the exact caliber, make and model are also not being released at this time.

Tactical police close to the scene of Thursday’s mass shooting (AP)

No motive is known for the attack but officials sought to reassure the community that there is no longer an active threat.

Maryland Senator Ben Cardin tweeted on Thursday that this “cannot keep happening” as he said his thoughts were with the victims’ families.

“Horrible tragedy in #Smithsburg. My thoughts are with all of the families of the victims today. This cannot keep happening,” he tweeted.

“Thankful to the local law enforcement, Maryland State Police, FBI, ATF and any others who are working to determine the details.”

Columbia Machine is a company that specialises in “mold manufacturing, parts & repair needs, offering full service and full cycle capabilities to keep your plant producing 24/”, according to the company website.

The attack marks the latest in a string of mass shootings that have torn apart communities and families across America in recent weeks, with lawmakers coming under growing pressure to pass common-sense gun control laws.

On 14 May, 10 Black people were shot dead by a self-proclaimed white supremacist and racist at a grocery store in Buffalo, New York.

Just 10 days later, 19 students aged just nine to 11 years old and two teachers were murdered in a mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas.

In both cases, the 18-year-old gunmen were able to legally purchase the AR-15s they then used in the massacres.

One day before the shooting in Maryland, survivors and victims’ family members testified before the House Oversight Committee and urged lawmakers to tackle the rise in gun violence.