Horrible news out of Baltimore Sunday morning as authorities report that a mass shooting erupted at a block party around 12:30 am, leaving two young people dead and dozens more injured.
BPD is on scene of a masa shooting incident in the 800 blk of Gretna Court in our Southern District. Acting Commissioner Worley and PIO are on scene. Media Staging Area will be located at the intersection of 6th Street and Audrey Avenue. pic.twitter.com/2JK5F09WMB
— Baltimore Police (@BaltimorePolice) July 2, 2023
Three of those injured are reported to be in critical condition.
Following the incident, Baltimore Acting Police Commissioner Richard Worley and Mayor Brandon Scott provided a media briefing.
Media Briefing in reference to mass shooting: https://t.co/uTlWQtox60
— Baltimore Police (@BaltimorePolice) July 2, 2023
Nine victims were transported by ambulance and 20 victims walked into area hospitals with injuries from the shooting, Worley said.
A dozen victims were sent to be treated at R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center and four others were sent to the University of Maryland Medical Center’s Pediatric Emergency Department, according to University of Maryland Medical System spokesman Michael Schwartzberg.
An 18-year-old woman was found dead at the scene and a 20-year-old man was pronounced dead at a hospital shortly after, police said.
During the media briefing, Mayor Scott had this to say:
I want those who are responsible to hear me, and hear me very clearly: We will not stop until we find you, and we will find you. Until then, I hope that every single breath you take, that you think about the lives that you took, think about the lives that you impacted here tonight.
The Southern District Homicide Investigation Division of the Baltimore Police Department also released a statement early Sunday morning:
On July 2, 2023, at approximately 12:35 a.m., officers responded to 800 block of Gretna Court for multiple calls of a reported shooting.
Upon arrival, officers located multiple shooting victims.
Preliminarily, there are 30 total shooting victims.
Nine victims were transported from the scene to local hospitals, 20 victims walked into area hospitals across the region and an 18-year-old female was pronounced deceased on scene.
A 20-year-old male was also pronounced deceased at a local hospital, a short time later.
Three victims are listed in critical condition and the remaining victims range in condition at local hospitals. The victims range in age, as well.
Homicide detectives responded to the scene and assumed control over the investigation.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Homicide detectives at 410-396-2100.
Those who wish to remain anonymous may utilize the Metro Crime Stoppers tip line, at 1-866-7LOCKUP. You may also text tips through the Metro Crime Stoppers of Maryland website.
Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.
One woman who was getting into her car to leave the party when the shooting began recounted her encounter with two of the victims, whom she then transported to the hospital:
Lakell Nelson, 54, said there had been several false alarms of people mistaking the sounds of fireworks for gunfire earlier in the night while she was at the block party. However, by the time she was getting to her car, the actual shooting began.
“The shots were just going on and on and on,” she said.
That’s when two young women approached her and said they’d been shot.
“I kinda didn’t believe them at first because they were walking up the street. I said, ‘Show me,’ and the girl was like, ‘I was shot in my butt,’” she said. “When she turned around, I saw the hole through her shorts.”
Nelson said told the women to get in the car and she sped through red lights to get to the nearest hospital.
“When I pulled up to the door of the hospital, my car was almost getting ready to be inside the hospital, because I was determined to get those babies in that hospital,” Nelson said.
This is a developing story.
