'Very Brazen, Very Cowardice' | Police Commissioner Michael Harrison Reacts To Recent Assaults, Crimes Committed By Juveniles In Baltimore
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Wednesday morning's assault of a Baltimore Police Department lab technician was yet another of several high profile assaults and crimes involving young people.
In Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison's crime plan released last week, it mentioned juvenile offenders just once.
"It' really gets me fired up, and I think it gets all of our police officers and residents fired up," Harrison said of the recent assaults. "It's very brazen, very cowardice."
In Wednesday's attack, the suspects remain at large- but Friday, police confirmed they've arrested two 16-year-olds, Kamal Godwin and Kahree Fowlkes in the upper Fells Point robbery of the Department's Deputy Commissioner Daniel Murphy.
The two teens are charged with an armed carjacking in another case.
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"My wife and I are lucky that we're safe," Murphy said. "Many in the community have suffered from far worse. Commissioner Harrison and the team are going to be every day to reform this department."
Earlier this week, security video captured the armed robbery of a mother carrying her 5-week-old son. Detectives charged 19-year-old Raemiyah Haws and 16-year-old Taquon Benson- both as adults, and a 15-year-old girl as a juvenile.
Commissioner Harrison said Friday that crime involving kids speaks to many root causes of violence simply out of the hands of police alone.
"For far too long, the narrative is usually, 'When can police stop this'"? Harrison said. "Well, it is 'When can we change their minds about making bad decisions'? And, then, we will stop those who continue to choose badly.
The commissioner called these attacks demoralizing and frustrating but highlighted the fact that arrests are being made in many of these cases.
Mayor Jack Young said, "there have to be consequences and accountability for those [kids who] are out there doing these things."