Community advocates provide services, call for collaboration after teen killed in Southwest Baltimore
BALTIMORE -- After five Edmondson-Westside High School students were shot at a shopping center on Wednesday, community activists gathered at the site to highlight help available to youth in Baltimore City and the surrounding area.
Baltimore City Police are in the process of investigating the shooting that left a 16-year-old dead and four other teens seriously injured at the Edmondson Village Shopping Center.
Two people are suspected of opening fire toward the teens and then fled the scene, according to police.
"This is not a war zone. This is our community," Dr. Ted Sutton said.
Sutton is the founder of People Can Change Movement and Men Against Murder. He has worked with youth for years after turning his own life around
"I dedicated my life from that point on to trying to help some people not go down that same path," Sutton told WJZ. "You don't have to stay where you are, you don't have to follow these so-called street rules."
The community advocate takes a different approach when it comes to offering help by trying to intervene before a crime is committed.
It seems like the ones who are connected with programs, the ones who may have a coach or a mentor, are not really the ones that people would call when they have a beef or a problem that they would try to get resolved in the streets," Sutton said. "I want to see if we can get to the ones before they actually make that decision."
Others at the scene of the deadly shooting Wednesday included the founder of Cooperative Community Development Inc., Johnny Martin. He explained the non-profit shows support to Baltimore's up-and-coming generation through teaching life skills, obtaining a driver's license, setting up health insurance and offering paid jobs to name a few.
"The things that we need to do to change the landscape of the community, you can put your hands on those things," said Martin.
Now, a teen has lost his life and four other teenagers are fighting to recover from gunshot wounds. In the aftermath of that tragedy, both advocates agree that wrap-around services for Baltimore's youth will take a collaborative effort from the entire community.
"I'm devastated that someone sent their child to school today, and then received a call that they're not coming home," Martin said. "This was tragic and it's something that should not happen but I hope it's a clarion call to residents, youth, seniors, to elected leaders, to community-based leaders, that this is our responsibility."
As of Wednesday evening, the search is still on for the shooters.
Youth services in Baltimore City can be found here:
- Baltimore City Mayor's Office of Employment Development - Youth Services
- People Can Change Movement
- Cooperative Community Development