Baltimore’s ‘murder epidemic’: Deadly shootings are on the rise amid the coronavirus pandemic as two men are killed and five others injured during 72-hour city-wide ceasefire
- Two men killed and five others injured during Baltimore’s Ceasefire Weekend
- Purpose of Baltimore Ceasefire weekend is to go three days without a shooting
- A 29-year-old was fatally shot on Friday and succumbed to injuries at hospital
- Baltimore police said second man died of multiple gunshot wounds on Sunday
- Erricka Bridgeford, the founder of Baltimore Ceasefire, said city’s ‘murder epidemic’ needs to be addressed ‘like we do the COVID-19 epidemic’
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
Deadly shootings are on the rise in Baltimore amid the coronavirus pandemic as two men were killed and five others injured during a 72-hour ceasefire weekend.
This year, the Baltimore Ceasefire Weekend, went virtual with the same goal as its past in-person programs: for the city to go three days without a shooting.
But within the first few hours of the ceasefire, a 29-year-old man was fatally shot in East Baltimore’s Berea neighborhood around 4.30pm on Friday.
Medics rushed him to Johns Hopkins Hospital where he later succumbed to his torso wound.
Deadly shootings are on the rise in Baltimore amid the coronavirus pandemic as two men were killed and five others injured during a 72-hour ceasefire weekend. First responders at the scene of one of the weekend’s shootings
Erricka Bridgeford, the founder of Baltimore Ceasefire, said the city’s high crime rate should be handled like the coronavirus pandemic. Bridgeford said : ‘We don’t address the murder epidemic like we do the COVID-19 epidemic. If we did, we would see results’
A second man was shot dead in East Baltimore around 4.25pm on Sunday.
Witnesses told authorities that the man was approached by an unidentified suspect who opened fire on the victim.
The victim was struck multiple times but attempted to escape by running into a nearby business along E Cold Spring Lane. Authorities said the man died at the scene.
Five other people were shot and injured between Friday and Sunday.
And in the seven days ahead of the ceasefire weekend, 14 people were killed in Baltimore.
Erricka Bridgeford, the founder of Baltimore Ceasefire, said the city’s high crime rate should be handled like the coronavirus pandemic.
She told the Baltimore Sun: ‘We don’t address the murder epidemic like we do the COVID-19 epidemic. If we did, we would see results.’
‘It’s been a heartbreaking weekend but a joyous weekend,’ Bridgeford said. ‘We were able to honor the pain and celebrate the joy at the same time.’
Baltimore Ceasefire weekends occur four times a year. The last ceasefire weekend took place in February, which was the deadliest one on record. At the time, the city recorded four shooting deaths and 15 injuries
As of Monday, there have been a total of 104 homicides in the city, just one less death than around the same time last year. Last year, Baltimore (file image) recorded more than 300 homicides for the fifth straight year
Last year, Baltimore recorded more than 300 homicides for the fifth straight year.
As of Monday, there have been a total of 104 homicides in the city, just one less death than around the same time last year.
Data from the Baltimore Sun revealed that the coronavirus pandemic appeared to slow the violence when the city went five days without a fatal shooting at the end of April.
But that quickly changed when May got off to a violent start with 16 killings in the first 10 days.
Baltimore Ceasefire weekends occur four times a year. The last ceasefire weekend took place in February, which was the deadliest one on record.
At the time, the city recorded four shooting deaths and 15 injuries.