Teen Who Fatally Shot 16-Year-Old Maryland Girl Dies by Suicide, Had Been Suspect in Local Burglaries

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Teen Boy Allegedly Kills 16-Year-Old Maryland Girl and Wounds Her Mother Before Turning Gun on Himself

The teen boy who fatally shot a 16-year-old girl and injured her mother in their Maryland home early New Year’s Day before turning the gun on himself died Tuesday after being on life support, PEOPLE confirms.

The 15-year-old boy died of a self inflicted gunshot wound, Howard County police announced in a press release Tuesday. (PEOPLE has withheld the shooter’s name because he was a minor.)

On New Year’s Eve, Charlotte Zambera’s parents picked her up from a party, the release states. Shortly after returning home, Jim and Suzanne Zambera heard a “scuffle” in their daughter’s bedroom, according to the release.

When Suzanne entered the room, the boy — who police say was wearing a mask — fired a shot at Suzanne and then at Charlotte before turning the gun on himself, the release states.

Authorities allege the Ellicott City teen carried out a string of home burglaries in the weeks leading up to the shooting: Two homes in the same neighborhood of the Zambera’s were broken into, and the gun the shooter used the night of Charlotte’s death had been stolen from one of the homes, according to the release.

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Charlotte was taken to Howard County General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead early New Year’s Day. Suzanne was treated and released. The shooter was taken to University of Maryland Medical Center’s Shock Trauma Center, where he died.

Police are still investigating the motive, Howard County police spokeswoman Sherry Llewellyn tells PEOPLE.

Police have not found a connection between the shooter and victim. According to the press release, they lived in the same neighborhood and attended the same school but it is unclear if they knew each other.

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“She was just really sweet, and a good friend,” Isabella Kushner, a friend of the victim, told WJZ.

Kushner added, “The entire community of Howard County is just trying to support everybody, and her family.”

A GoFundMe page has been started by a family friend to help pay for Charlotte’s funeral expenses.