Maryland authorities are investigating the death of Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson after he was fatally injured Thursday night in an apparent shooting, according to officials.

Wilkinson, 52, was found suffering from gunshot wounds in a driveway of a residential area of the northern Maryland city of Hagerstown, the Washington County Sheriff's Office said.

Deputies responded around 8 p.m. after receiving reports of a shooting, the sheriff's office said.

Wilkinson was taken to a local medical facility where he later died, according to the sheriff's office.

The investigation is ongoing and the sheriff's office plans to hold a news conference to share more details, though it is unclear when the conference will be held.

Born in Agana, Guam, Wilkinson had been an associate judge for the Washington County Circuit Court since January 2020, according to his court bio.

Neil C. Parrott, a former delegate in the Maryland House of Delegates, mourned Wilkinson as a well-liked and respected member of the community with "a contagious smile."

"Judge Wilkinson was an exceptional judge and was a pillar in our community," Parrott said in a statement. "The events tonight are catastrophic for Washington County, for Maryland, and for our justice system. Judge Wilkinson served faithfully and will be severely missed."