A mass shooting at a Baltimore block party left an 18-year-old woman and a 20-year-old man killed and 28 others injured.
According to a police statement, nine people were transported from the scene to hospitals and 20 people walked into hospitals in the area. Three of the injured are in critical condition.
The identity of the dead has not been released but they died in separate hospitals.
Baltimore Shooting is the third case of a mass shooting in July. According to the Gun Violence Archive, the US has seen 338 mass shootings so far this year.
In a statement from Baltimore’s Medstar Health Regional Director of Media and Public Relations, Debra Schindler, nine people who were critically injured were stabilized at Medstar Harbor Hospital, then transferred to Baltimore trauma centers. Ten other patients were treated and released from the hospital.
Twelve patients were being treated at the University of Maryland Medical Center’s trauma center and four were being treated in its pediatric emergency department.
Another two, who were in fair condition, were being treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
The Baltimore Police Acting Commissioner Richard Worley said that reports of the shooting were received at about 12:30 a.m.
No suspect or motive has been gotten by the police. They urge anyone with information to come forward and help find those responsible.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said the block party was in celebration of Baltimore’s Brooklyn neighborhood.
“It’s an event that happens in Brooklyn every year,” he said. “Folks were out there having a celebration and then at some point, gunshots rang out and folks of course were trying to get away, get out of there.”
“It is a neighborhood that has had its troubles, but a neighborhood that has seen some folks in that community really determined to see it be successful and see things turn around.”
“The tragedy highlights the impacts and the need to deal with the overproliferation of illegal guns on our streets and the ability for those who should not have them to get their hands on them”.
“We will not stop until we find you – and we will find you”, Scott vowed.
“Until then, I hope with every single breath that you take that you think about the lives that you took and you think about the lives that you impacted here tonight,” he added.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore, who was sued by the National Rifle Association after he signed the Gun Safety Act of 2023 and other gun safety measures into law in May said in a statement;
“Maryland has had enough of watching gun violence continue to ravage our state and our nation. “The fact that these horrific shootings continue to take place is abominable. We as a state will continue to do everything we can to prevent senseless acts of violence like the one we saw last night.”
He thanked first responders for their quick response and expressed confidence the killers would be caught and prosecuted.
“To the loved ones of these Marylanders, I am so sorry for your loss. You deserve better and we will work together to bring you just that. You have my word”, he added.
Brady, the nation’s old gun violence prevention organization, and the city of Baltimore are suing manufacturer Polymer80, the largest manufacturer of “ghost guns”. The company is accused of fueling the city’s gun violence.
Ghost guns are untraceable firearms that can be bought online and assembled at home. Maryland banned the sale of ghost guns last year. Baltimore police did not reveal the type of firearms used in Sunday’s shooting.
