Video Captures Screams, Panic Following Fatal Shooting In Federal Hill Park
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A man was killed after a shooting in Federal Hill Park Sunday night in south Baltimore.
Residents in the homes around the park said they could hear people screaming and running in every direction. Now they're turning to city leaders for answers.
It was around 11 p.m. when one resident said he heard four gunshots and people screaming, screams that were captured on a resident's security camera video.
"I saw a storm of people running down the staircase," one resident said.
Officers were called to the 300 block of Warren Avenue around 11:03 p.m. after a report of gunshots being heard in the area.
When they arrived, they found a 39-year-old man with gunshot wounds to his body. He later died at the hospital. Police identified him Tuesday as Melvin Thompson.
"It looked like a very serious incident," eyewitness Matthew Benicewicz said. "It seemed like the EMTs were doing chest compressions."
Now a community is looking for answers.
"For us to hear gunshots -- it shatters and it puts fear into everything of who we are in this community," Fed Hill resident Ronnie Bogle said.
"This has been an issue all summer long -- drinking, yelling, screaming, fireworks, etc. at all hours of the night!" Councilman Eric Costello said.
Costello spoke with police Monday about the park and is ensuring additional resources will be deployed.
Heroes Jump Into Action
When the shots rang out, Dedric Richardson took cover. Minutes later, his wife called, saying she was standing next to the victim and needed his help.
"(I heard) a young lady that's screaming, frantically crying and she's like, 'Oh my god, somebody shot him! Please help!'" Richardson's wife Shunquita Neal said.
Neal raced up the park's steps and saw the victim surrounded by blood.
She called 911 but couldn't get through, so she called her husband.
"I said, 'Hey, this kid has been shot. We need to take him to the hospital,'" Neal said.
Richardson, a combat veteran, jumped into action, rushing to the scene.
This is Dedric Richardson, his wife & their catering van (Creole Sole)...during last night's shooting, Dedric put the victim into his van & drove him to an ambulance nearby. He said his military instinct kicked in & he wanted to do everything he could to save his life- HERO @wjz pic.twitter.com/ZO6auEjDvR
— Annie Rose Ramos (@AnnieRoseNews) September 15, 2020
"I helped put him in the back of the van, and from that moment on, I said, 'Hey, you're a combat vet so go ahead and check his pulse,'" Richardson said. "My first instinct was what can we do to save his life right now?"
Richardson drove the man to the other side of the hill to meet the ambulance, where paramedics took over.
A Violent Week
Over the past week, at least 50 people were shot and 15 are dead, among them two women were shot and killed in northeast Baltimore
50 People Shot, 15 Fatally, In Baltimore In A Week
Police arrested 24-year-old Dandre Woods-Bethel at the scene in that shooting.
Baltimore city's police union tweeted Monday saying in short there is no crime plan for the daily violence and the police department is 500 officers short.
"We have to actually have a strategy," said city council president Brandon Scott, "targeting the most violent individuals who are committing the overwhelming majority of these crimes."
Citizen App video also showed the scene just after the shooting:
Man Shot in Federal Hill Park @CitizenApp
Battery Ave & E Montgomery St Yesterday 11:09:41 PM EDThttps://citizen.com/static/scripts/embed.js/static/scripts/embed.js?v=1600093937057
WJZ has reached out to city police who are not yet commenting on camera on this week's violence.
Detectives from the Homicide Unit are investigating this incident. Anyone with information is asked to call 410-396-2100 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7Lockup. You can also text tips to 443-902-4824.