Baltimore mayor's office holds Brooklyn Healing Day three months after deadly mass shooting
BALTIMORE -- It has been nearly three months since the largest mass shooting in Baltimore's history.
On Saturday, people gathered at Brooklyn Homes to remember those people who were shot or injured during the July 2 mass shooting and find ways to move forward.
Twenty-eight people were injured by gunfire that day and two people were killed: 18-year-old Aaliyah Gonzalez and 20-year-old Kylis Fagbemi.
The Office of Mayor Brandon Scott hosted the gathering, calling it a Brooklyn Healing Day.
The event included food and resource tables for members of the community.
During the event, people planted flowers and trees in honor of those killed during the mass shooting.
Breakdowns in communication, poor leadership, and police officer indifference were evident ahead of the violent gunfire that erupted just after midnight, according to an after-action report.
Police initially said they had no knowledge of Brooklyn Day 2023 despite social media postings and flyers advertising the event recorded by the department's own intelligence.
The head of the housing authority says staff had no knowledge of the party until after 30 people had been shot on their property.
Safe Streets workers knew the event was happening and even mediated five disputes there, but they did not notify anyone and believed Brooklyn Day would not turn violent, according to the report.
The police union says city leaders are making their officers "scapegoats" for critically short staffing and failed policies.
To date, five people have been charged in connection to the mass shooting. Police say this investigation is still ongoing, though. There is an $88,000 reward for information leading to additional arrests.