At least 2 dead, 28 wounded in mass shooting at Baltimore block party, police say

At least two people were killed and dozens were wounded in a mass shooting in southeast Baltimore early Sunday morning, authorities said. CBS Baltimore reported that the shooting happened at a block party in the city’s Brooklyn neighborhood.

Baltimore police officers say they responded to multiple calls of a reported shooting at around 12:35 a.m. An 18-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene, and a 20-year-old man was pronounced dead later at a local hospital. Nine of the people injured were transported to hospitals from the scene, while the other 20 victims walked into various hospitals in the area, acting Baltimore City Police Commissioner Richard Worley told reporters on Sunday.

“When officers arrived, they found multiple victims suffering from gunshot wounds. We located one female adult deceased on the scene, 9 additional victims were transported from the location to area hospitals,” Worley said at the news conference.

A total of 30 people suffered gunshot wounds at the block party, officials said at a news conference Sunday afternoon. The victims’ ages ranged from 13 to 32 years old, with 14 of the victims under the age of 18, police said. 

Police have confirmed there were at least two shooters and are investigating if there were any more. Police did not know as of Sunday afternoon if the shooting was targeted.

Authorities have asked anyone with information about the incident to contact the homicide unit by calling 410-396-2100. Community members can also report tips anonymously to Metro Crime Stoppers, either by phone or online.

“We will not stop until we find those cowards who decided to just shoot dozens of people, causing two people to lose their lives. And we’re going to be here until we find them, until we hold them accountable until they are held accountable for the actions they took because we cannot rest until they do so. Again our thoughts and prayers are with the entire community and city,” Baltimore mayor Brandon Scott said at a press briefing.

Authorities have not identified any of the mass shooting victims by name. 

In a joint statement issued by the mayor’s office and the police department, Scott called for increased gun control in Baltimore and said, “This tragedy again shows why we must continue to focus on the amount of illegal guns on our streets that make it into the hands of individuals who should not have them and continuously carry out violent acts in our city.”

“This act of violence has shaken our city to the very core, and we are all grappling with the shock, pain, and trauma that accompanies such a heinous act of destruction,” the mayor’s statement read in part.

“This investigation is ongoing, and we will not rest until the people responsible are held accountable,” Scott said. “There must be accountability at each level of the illegal gun trade from those using them, those trafficking them to those who manufacture them in ways they know will lead to violence.”