Protestors Demand Answers In Freddie Gray's Arrest
BALTIMORE (WJZ)—A man being taken into police custody ends up in a coma. Now, 7 days later - it is still a mystery how it happened.
The idea by family and friends is to keep pressure on police & the mayor to determine what really happened to Freddie Gray.
Mike Schuh has more on Saturday's protest.
When being arrested, Freddie Gray can't walk, but it gets worse. Soon his voice box will be partially crushed, 3 bones in his neck will be broken.
Police can't or won't say how he ends up like this on a ventilator, in a coma.
Schuh: "Is he going to pull through?"
"We don't know.He just laying there, he just layin there."
In his neighborhood, hundreds gathered including his mom, who doesn't want to be on camera. She wonders why police didn't protect her son while in custody.
"That's right, they didn't protect my son," she says.
Violence isn't just talk on Baker Street, some of these people live it.
Rhonda Herring's son was murdered a hundred feet from here and he's fed up and blames the mayor.
Schuh: "Gloria, she wasn't in the back of that police van, how can you blame her?"
"I can blame her because this wasn't the first incident and she knows it wasn't the first incident," Herring said.
"This friction and this pain in our community, we didn't get to it overnight and it's not going to be fixed overnight, but I'm not afraid to tackle that challenge because it's worth it," said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
Theresa Johnston says her son was beaten when he was arrested.
Schuh: "But the word you used with me before is it's getting to be routine."
"It's getting to be routine," Johnston says.
Protesters end at the Western District, police guard the front door. The crowd, over 200 strong go no closer and finish with prayer. Their call is for justice for Freddie Gray and for his family: peace.
Until more answers are revealed, the minister leading the group asked everyone to gather again, same time, same place next Saturday and every Saturday.
Police have assembled a special panel made up of officers from 4 units to investigate. Their findings will go to the state's attorney who will decide if any officers will be charged.