Domestic incidents have kept Howard County Police busy this year, with the latest one reported this week following an apparent murder-suicide.

So far in 2025, three of the six homicides in the county have been domestic-related, which police say is on pace with last year.

Police say these are very tough cases because the victims know their attacker, but they add that there's help people can get before it's too late.

Violent domestic incidents

Purple flyers were posted around the neighborhood on Summer Blossom in Columbia to highlight the death of 47-year-old Shannon Buschner, who police said was killed in a suspected murder-suicide on Monday, June 30.

"As a community, we are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Shannon, whose kindness and care touched so many of us," the flyer partly reads.

Police say Buschner and Ahmad Kharma, 23, were found shot and killed. Police believe Kharma shot Buschner before turning the gun on himself. The two were in a relationship and were living together.

Police and Howard County leaders have pointed to domestic incidents as one of the key contributors to violence in the county.

"More than half of the homicide victims during the last year were killed by a family member," Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said at a February news conference.

In February, DiAngelo Smith was arrested and charged in connection with the shooting deaths of his grandparents.

Last month, police shot and killed Micah Booker in Columbia, after he allegedly stabbed his older brother multiple times.

Searching for a motive

Seth Hoffman, a spokesman for the Howard County Police Department, said the motive is still being determined in the recent murder-suicide.

"The timing, too, because this may have happened the day or two earlier, even probably as early as Friday night," Hoffman said. "We're still investigating that part of it."

Working to help victims

Hoffman said police are working with a number of organizations in Howard County and across the state to give victims as much help as they can, especially to try and prevent a tragedy from happening.

"Fortunately, we have a lot of great resources for domestic violence," Hoffman said. "So, we work with our partners, nonprofits, to help with domestic violence and offer people services should they need them."

HopeWorks of Howard County, one of the police department's main partners, supports and advocates for those impacted by sexual and intimate partner violence.

The nonprofit hosts prevention education workshops and trainings, provides emergency shelter and transitional housing, as well as counseling and legal services.