On the evening of Oct. 10, 2024, at a Foot Locker in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland, a 24-year-old Dominique Hodge was shot and killed while shopping with his 4-year-old son. This incident occurred just before 6 p.m. inside the store, located near some shops at Iverson.
Witnesses reported a chaotic scene as shots rang out. Documents revealed that Hodge had reportedly made eye contact with three suspects before the shooting, hinting at a possible altercation earlier. Despite the number of customers and employees, no one else was injured in the gunfire.
Police quickly responded to the scene, where they apprehended one suspect, 19-year-old Andres Rodriguez-Corona, about half a mile away. He faces serious charges, including first and second-degree murder. A second suspect, 22-year-old Carl Sanders, was arrested during a traffic stop later that evening, where officers discovered two unregistered ghost guns in his possession. Sanders has been charged with firearms offenses and is suspected of having admitted his involvement in the shooting during questioning.
As Jackie Bensen from News4 reported, “The Foot Locker has interior cameras as part of its security setup,” indicating that investigators have potential evidence to use as they build their case. Investigators believe that Hodge was targeted, but the motive is still unclear as they continue to follow leads. A third suspect is still at large and police are going to release images of this individual in hopes of gathering more information from the public.
This shooting is a depressing moment for the Iverson Mall area which had seen crime rates drop by 22% in recent years. Alanea Cremen from WUSA9 stated, “Police say Hodge was shopping in the store at the time of the shooting,” showing the grim nature of the crime as it took place in broad daylight. The shooting emphasizes ongoing safety concerns, especially of previous incidents at the mall, including a 2023 shooting involving a man and a teen girl.
The case remains active and ongoing as investigators work to put together the details surrounding Hodge’s death. Security footage from inside the Foot Locker is being reviewed for potential evidence, and updates on the case are expected as police continue their investigation
