On Wednesday, after seven people were shot in Baltimore on Tuesday night, Baltimore Mayor Jack Young pleaded with residents to stop shooting each other so there would be beds available for victims of the coronavirus.
On Wednesday, Baltimore reported a fifth person who has been infected with the virus. The Baltimore Sun reported, “The five confirmed cases in Baltimore involve a person in their 60s, a person in their 70s and three people in their 20s, said health commissioner Dr. Letitia Dzirasa. All are in ‘good to stable condition.’”
Young stated, “I want to reiterate how completely unacceptable the level of violence is that we have seen recently. We will not stand for mass shootings and an increase in crime. For those of you who want to continue to shoot and kill people of this city, we’re not going to tolerate it. We’re going to come after you and we’re going to get you,” as CBS Baltimore reported.
Young continued, “I want to reiterate how completely unacceptable the level of violence is that we have seen recently. We will not stand for mass shootings and an increase in crime.” He added, “We cannot clog up our hospitals and their beds with people that are being shot senselessly because we’re going to need those beds for people infected with the coronavirus. And it could be your mother, your grandmother or one of your relatives. So take that into consideration.”
CBS Baltimore reported of the Tuesday shooting:
Police said an officer confronted a man with a rifle Tuesday night after he allegedly shot seven people. Seven people were shot Tuesday evening in the Madison Park neighborhood, according to police. The suspect had a rifle and was dressed in all black with a ski mask. The officer who was patrolling the microzone confronted the man after he fired into a crowd gathered at the corner of Eutaw and McMchen Streets around 6:27 p.m.
Commissioner Michael Harrison said, “Our officer was on regular routine patrol when he observed a subject shooting at a group of individuals with a semi-automatic assault rifle. Based on that, he engaged the suspect and discharged his weapon.”
On Monday, two men were shot and killed in Baltimore; The Baltimore Sun reported, “Early Monday afternoon, a man was fatally shot in North Baltimore, according to Baltimore City Police. Officers responded to the 600 block of McCabe Ave. in the Woodbourne-McCabe neighborhood around 12:20 p.m. and found the victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene.”
The Baltimore Sun reported in September 2018, “Baltimore had the worst homicide rate among the nation’s 50 largest cities last year and the second-highest violent crime rate overall, according to new data from the FBI.”
AreaVibes reported, “The overall crime rate is 153% higher than the average of crimes committed in Maryland. It is also 145% higher than the national average. When it comes to violent crimes, Baltimore, MD shows a crime rate that is 291% higher than the Maryland average. The crime rate is also 382% higher than the national average. When it comes to property crimes, Baltimore, MD is shown to be 121% higher than the Maryland average and 104% higher than the national average.”