16-year-old boy arrested for shooting five Edmondson Westside High students, killing one
BALTIMORE -- A 16-year-old boy has been arrested in a high-profile murder case from January.
He has been charged with first-degree murder.
Deanta Dorsey, 16, was killed in the shooting on Jan. 4 in the parking lot of the Edmondson Village Shopping Center. Two 17-year-old males and two 18-year-old males were injured.
The 16-year-old suspect, whose name has not been released, has been charged with first-degree murder. He was taken into custody on Wednesday.
"Sixteen-year-old," Dee Carter of Edmondson Village said. "That's sad. I don't understand it."
Police said the Dorsey and his classmates were outside of a Popeyes across the street from the high school during their lunch break. That's when two people started shooting multiple rounds and then took off behind the buildings.
"We have a very tragic incident, five people were shot, one who lost his life, over foolishness and nonsense, and this did not have to happen," Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said after the shooting. "We talk about the prevalence of guns. We talk about the willingness to use them, and now we are talking about individuals who are youthful and young being involved in either being a victim of a shooting or pulling that trigger."
Shortly after the shooting, Dorsey's aunt told WJZ a staggering number of bullets struck her nephew.
"I was told he was shot 18 times," his aunt said. "And for my 16-year-old to be shot 18 times and no one to reach out to us, I want answers."
In the wake of the shooting, community members have called for changes to the shopping center that has become known for criminal activity.
"I would love to see growth in this shopping center because every time you turn around they're bringing stores in, and then they're bringing stores out," Carter said. "They're going out of business."
Now, a developer called Chicago TREND is in the process of buying the property.
WJZ spoke with the CEO of the company by phone who said the $41 million renovation would bring in a new grocery store and restaurants.
The sale of the shopping center is expected to be complete in the next 60 days with construction projected to begin by the end of the year.
While some people are welcoming the sale, others are skeptical about whether the upgrades will make a difference.
"If the people in the community are not actively engaged or involved, were going to keep having the same issues whether they build it up," Washington said.
Meanwhile, Dorsey's family is hoping that police will make additional arrests. They will hold a press conference outside of the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. Courthouse on Friday morning to express their appreciation for investigators and discuss next steps in the murder investigation.
Surveillance photos put out by police after the shooting showed two persons of interests.
WJZ asked investigators if more arrests are coming, while they didn't confirm, police did tell us that the case is still open and ongoing.
Dorsey's family released the following statement:
"The family is relieved that at least one of the individuals responsible for this horrific crime is now in custody and charged with first-degree murder. The fact that Deanta's killer is also 16-years-old only amplifies the tragedy of this unspeakable situation.
Yesterday's arrest brings us one small step closer to getting justice for our beloved Deanta and the four other children victimized in this mass shooting. We will not rest until all of those involved in Deanta's murder are held accountable, and we remain grateful for the continued hard work of the detectives on this case.
We thank the community for continuing to keep us and the families of the other four children in their prayers."
Chicago TREBD has launched a crowdfunding effort to help cover some of the costs of renovating the shopping center. They hope to get local investors in on the plan, which means they will become co-owners of the property.
For more information, head to https://www.smallchange.co/projects/Edmondson-Village