Police are continuing a massive manhunt today after five people were shot dead for no apparent reason within 16 hours in the Washington suburb of Montgomery County, Maryland.
Each of the five victims - one killed on Wednesday night and four within a four-hour period on Thursday morning - was shot dead with a single bullet, said Montgomery County police captain Ms Nancy Demme.
She said a sixth shooting was reported at a shop earlier on Wednesday, but no one was injured.
All the shootings occurred within a radius of a few miles, she said. "We have no motive, and no connection just yet on any of the deaths".
One man was shot dead as he mowed his lawn, a man and a woman were killed at different petrol stations and a man and a woman were killed near shopping centres.
A Montgomery County official said a reward of "up to $50,000" was posted for information leading to the arrest and charging of the shooter or shooters.
AFP