'They have actually drilled on this in the past' - HC Police Chief on Md. mall shooting By Lori Price, www.legitgov.org 25 Jan 2014 At a 1:30 PM EST media conference, Howard County Chief of Police Bill McMahon shared his perspective on the mall shooting in Columbia, Maryland, that left three dead (including the alleged shooter). The mall, thirty miles north of Washington, D.C., is still an "active crime scene" and remains under lockdown. "This has been an incredible and thoughtful operation," McMahon observed. "They have actually drilled on this in the past." ...MSNBC host T.J. Holmes noted that the police chief stated that they had done numerous "active-shooter drills" at the mall. Holmes interviewed Howard County Executive, Ken Ulman. Ulman said that his community has "stepped-up" his active-shooter training and conducted numerous drills for same. "Our SWAT team has drilled with us," he added... Mall worker and eye-witness Lauren Stapleton told an NBC reporter that after she heard gunshots, she called 911, but that 911 "could not be reached."