High school student killed in shooting near Columbia mall was well-liked, principal says

By Adam Thompson

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    Maryland (WJZ) — Michael Robertson, a 16-year-old sophomore at Wilde Lake High School in Columbia, is remembered by his school’s principal as a “well-liked student, friend and classmate” and a member of the football team.

Robertson was killed in a double shooting near The Mall in Columbia Saturday evening. A 15-year-old, who attends Oakland Mills High School, was critically injured in the shooting.

“Michael was a well-liked student, friend, classmate, and football teammate, and his death will likely have an even greater impact on many people because it was a homicide,” Wilde Lake Principal Michael C. Brown said in a letter to families, which WJZ obtained. “I know many students have been posting about this incident on social media, and I ask that parents please talk to your children about their social media activity to make sure they are acting responsibly and being respectful of the families impacted by this loss.”

Officers responded to the shooting around 5:52 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22 in the parking lot and bus loop area outside of Lidl in the 10300 block of Little Patuxent Parkway.

Police arrested Emmetson Zeah, from Columbia, and charged him with first-degree murder. Zeah is also facing attempted first-degree murder for a shooting on Feb. 14 on Twin Rivers Road in Columbia.

Resources available

Principal Brown said teachers will discuss Robertson’s murder with students, and counselors will be available for those who need help coping.

“During these developmentally appropriate guided discussions, our staff will validate students’ feelings and reactions, identify coping strategies, give the students an opportunity to ask questions, and share information on additional resources available at school in the coming days,” Brown said.

Brown added, “We are especially concerned about students who may have been at the Mall in Columbia or near the area when the shooting occurred, as this proximity to an act of violence can be especially difficult for children to process.”

School officials said resources for the county’s mental health and wellness page can be found here: hcpss.org/supports/mental-health-wellness

Recent mall violence

Police are searching for 17-year-old William Thomas Marshall, also known as “Junior,” who is a suspect in the deadly shooting of a 17-year-old at The Mall in Columbia on July 27, 2024.

Angelo Little, who would have been a senior this year, was shot and killed in the mall’s food court area.

There is a $30,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.

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