Councilman Costello demands police action in wake of Federal Hill brawl
BALTIMORE -- Late-night crowds have been causing havoc in Federal Hill, prompting a city councilman to demand that police provide additional security for the neighborhood.
Cellphone video captures this outrageous brawl spanning several blocks on Charles Street early Saturday morning.
"Somebody got slammed in the middle of the street," Federal Hill resident CJ Shaw said.
Shaw said he watched from the sidewalk as dozens of people spilled onto the street, blocking off traffic and throwing punches.
He said he saw "people coming left, right," and "people trying to break it up getting swung into it."
Videos of the mayhem circulated online.
An investigation from the Board of Liquor License commissioners shows that there was disorderly conduct in the area back on August 12. The letter says people were walking around Federal Hill with open bottles of liquor. Some people were even allegedly selling narcotics out in the open.
"It's a state of lawlessness and chaos," City Councilman Eric Costello said.
A letter co-signed by several businesses in the area asked Costello to find a way to quell the chaos.
Now, Costello is demanding action from the Baltimore Police Department.
He is calling for a deployment plan that includes additional patrol officers, a mobile metro unit, and a SWAT team.
"We need BPD to take action to regain control of the neighborhood," Costello said.
Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said that the department's crime deployment is based on crime patterns. That's a topic that Harrison and other top brass discuss every day, he said.
"To make sure we can be in place to prevent things like murder and shootings, we want to make sure we prioritize all of our deployments," Harrison said.
Costello said the security of every city neighborhood is paramount.
"Every neighborhood deserves to be safe. I have said it again and again and again in hearings, in interviews and at community meetings," he said. "Lawless behavior, regardless of where it occurs, should be addressed immediately."
The street brawl sparked concerns for neighbors and businesses in Federal Hill.
"This certain level of aggression you see in that video wasn't here for the past 5-10 years," Shah Suney said.