A Maryland couple is dead after a suspected murder-suicide in Howard County, according to Howard County Police.

Officers responded to the 7500 block of Summer Blossom Lane at around 8:15 p.m. on June 30 after an acquaintance of the couple went to check on them and discovered their bodies inside a home.

After investigating, police believe Ahmad Kharma, 23, shot and killed Shannon Buschner, 47, before shooting himself.

Police found a gun near Kharma at the scene.

The time of the incident and motive remain under investigation, according to police.

Police learned that the two were in a relationship and both lived in the home.

No one else is suspected to be involved, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Howard County Police at 410-313-STOP, or by email. 

Maryland working to reduce gun violence

Just last week, the Maryland Department of Health announced a public-health-based plan to reduce gun violence. The plan has three parts – prevention and assessment, intervention and response, and community resilience and healing.

The first pillar will involve creating violence reduction councils, seated with local leaders, researchers, and criminal justice officials.

The intervention and response pillar will aim to interrupt the cycle of violence in communities.
Community resilience and healing aims to invest in communities that are most impacted by gun violence.

Statewide, there were 734 firearm deaths in 2023, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of those cases, 63% were homicides and 36% were suicides.

Murder-suicide rattles Baltimore County community

Residents in a Baltimore County community told WJZ they were shocked after a murder-suicide left a couple dead in April.

Police were called around 4 p.m. on April 2 for an assault at a house on Avery Hill Drive in Owings Mills.

Fifty-nine-year-old Karen Franklin and 63-year-old Gary Franklin were found dead with gunshot wounds.