Baltimore's new top prosecutor Ivan Bates discusses city's crime at Town Hall meeting

BALTIMORE - Baltimore City's new top prosecutor Ivan Bates led a discussion Thursday on the city's crime.

At a community Town Hall, Baltimore City leaders, including Bates, and law enforcement spoke with residents to talk about concerns about recent juvenile crime.

Bates defeated incumbent Marilyn Mosby in July's primary election. He ran unopposed in November's general election.

In 2022, Baltimore City had 333 murders.

This year, just five days into January, there have been three murders, two of which are minors. A half-dozen more minors were injured in shootings in 2023.

"You have to be held accountable," Bates said. "The days of doing whatever you want to do in Baltimore city, we can't have that."

Last week, 8-year-old Dylan King was shot and killed.

Then, on Wednesday, 16-year-old Deanta Dorsey was shot multiple times and killed while with several Edmondson-Westside High School classmates.

"We have a juvenile who commits a murder, and now we have a family who is hurting, so are we going to look the other way?" Bates said. "The answer is no. We have to hold all juveniles accountable."

At one point, families who were victims of gun violence spoke out about the crime rate. 

The Town Hall was held the day after five Edmondson-Westside students were shot in the middle of the day in the parking lot of Edmondson Village Shopping Center.

"We are very heartbroken and we're trying to get through this the best way we can," said the aunt of Deanta Dorsey

Governor Larry Hogan added that Baltimore's gun violence is out of control. 

"We've got to do something about the violent crime in Baltimore City," Governor Hogan said. 

At Thursday night's Town Hall, Baltimore City Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said the first step toward A safer Baltimore is by rebuilding trust between the police department and the community. 

"It takes a partnership with the community because everything we do is for the community," Harrison said.  

 Another main focus at the meeting was the partnerships between city departments.

Harrison said officers are out there making the arrests, but they want to make sure that those individuals are being prosecuted in the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office.