Man Dead, Woman Injured After Shooting At Neighborhood Deli
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — An alarming spike in violence. Baltimore City residents are on edge after the tenth murder in the first nine days of the new year.
Now, there's a push from Baltimore's top official for the community to come together.
Christie Ileto has the latest.
Thursday's double shooting is part of a string of violence that's becoming all too familiar for residents in Baltimore. City leaders are now asking residents, especially this week, to step up and help Baltimore Police curb the bloodshed happening on city streets.
This time, violence came to the 500-block of S. Smallwood Street.
"There was some sort of altercation or robbery that occurred in the store, we know that. And a couple of the employees were shot," said Deputy Commissioner John Skinner, Baltimore City Police Department.
On their Twitter, police confirmed one employee died.
"Great guy. He looked out for people in the community," Corey McCraw, resident.
That employee has been identified as 49-year-old Jose Abreu. A female victim was also shot. She is in good condition. Police say both were related to the store owner.
Thursday's double shooting is part of a string of violence that's all too familiar to residents.
"We've had enough. We've been living on the block for over six months. That's enough," McCraw said.
It's been a violent start to 2014. This latest shooting comes on the heels of nine other fatal shootings that happened so far this year.
"I'm not happy with the way we started," said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.
Rawlings-Blake calls on residents to step up and help police curb the violence.
"If you are not actively a part of the solution, then you are actively part of the problem," the mayor said.
Reporter: "Are people afraid to tell police, 'Oh yeah, I saw so-and-so shoot this person?'"
Oscar Cobb: "Snitching is not an issue."
Oscar Cobb says residents need to do their part, but working with officers is also a two-way street.
"One of the things we really want is for the police to be more community friendly," he said. "And not think that everybody in the community is a criminal."
A working relationship both city leaders and community activists say needs to happen soon--before another bullet claims Baltimore's 11th victim.
Anyone with information in the shooting is asked to call police. Last year, there were 235 homicides in the city.
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