Baltimore Violence Continues Despite Governor's Coronavirus 'Stay At Home' Order
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The violence continues in Baltimore despite a "stay-at-home" order issued across the state of Maryland due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Gov. Larry Hogan issued the order on March 30 to slow the spread of COVID-19. The order went into effect at 8 p.m.
However, the "stay at home" order hasn't stopped the violence in the city.
As of April 14, there have been 13 homicides as well as 24 non-fatal shootings in the city since the order went into effect. This week, in less than 24 hours, there were four men injured in four separate shootings.
On March 18, Baltimore Mayor Jack Young begged residents to put down their guns, so that hospital beds could be used to treat coronavirus patients instead of shooting victims.
"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," Young said at the time. "It could be your mother, your grandmother or one of your relatives. So take that into consideration."
Despite his plea, the violence has continued and the homicide count has grown.
So far this year there have been 81 homicides and 156 non-fatal shootings. This time last year, there had been 77 homicides and 178 non-fatal shootings.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.