Thursday Brings More Crime In Baltimore City, More Help On The Way
BALTIMORE (WJZ) — It was another deadly afternoon for a week filled with violence in Baltimore, with a fatal shooting and a body found near railroad tracks near Woodberry.
Police Investigating Dead Body Found On Railroad Tracks
Police are investigating a fatal shooting Thursday afternoon in Edmonson Village.
At around 12:20 p.m., officers were on patrol when they heard gunshots coming from the 4100 block of Cranston Avenue.
Shortly after, officers found 21-year-old Matthew Fenderson with gunshot wounds to his body.
Fenderson was taken to an area hospital where he died from his injuries.
This shooting came in broad daylight.
"Officers from the southwest district were deployed in the community when they heard gunshots coming from the area. Those officers were called in the incident that they heard and that's when patrol officers found the shooting victims," said Det. Jeremy Silbert with BPD.
Earlier in the day, homicide detectives were also called to the 4000 block of Towanda Avenue.
A body was found near railroad tracks.
"The medical examiner's office will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death," Silbert said.
As for the shooting, it's the 13th one in the past three days.
Mayor Catherine Pugh has said much of the bloodshed is being fueled by a drug war taking place in the city.
Thursday, Pugh and the governor were at an event where they addressed how the state and city are working together to curb the violence.
"The fact of the matter is that there have been a lot of neglect over the decades but we're working together to address those issues and I'm excited about the work we continue to do together," Pugh said.
Gov. Hogan said the state has sent in 500 state and federal officers into the city, adding they have made some 860 arrests.
He said he's not stopping there.
"We just got federal approval for a strike force which is only the third one in the nation to bring in 12 different federal agencies, it's going to open by the end of the year," Hogan said.
Interim police commissioner Gary Tuggle said he is also putting as many badges on the street as possible, adding 230 officers off desk duty and onto the streets.
Drug Turf War Blamed For Recent Spike In Baltimore Crime; Chief Adds 230 Officers To Streets
"There are going to be a number of things that don't get done but, right now, patrol is a priority. Addressing this crime is a priority," Tuggle said.
Anti-violence activists said even with the more than a dozen shootings in the last 72 hours, now is not the time to lose hope.
"Things are going to get better in my lifetime, I believe they are going to get better," said Erricka Bridgeford, Baltimore Ceasefire founder.
Bridgeford said that change, however, falls on everyone.
"We just all have to do whatever you think is the thing that needs to be fixed in the city, you can't keep saying what they should do, you have to realize that you are they and when all of us do that, we're going to start seeing the kind of results that we want to see," Bridgeford said.
Homicide detectives 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.
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