"R.I.P. Breon" Mother of 7th Baltimore student killed this year shares heartbreak
BALTIMORE — Breon Ennis is the seventh Baltimore City student shot and killed this year.
His heartbroken mother told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren she is in too much pain over his murder to speak on camera, but she shared a message she sent to his loved ones.
Breon Ennis is the Achievement Academy student killed yesterday, the 7th this year in Baltimore City schools. His heartbroken mother shared these pictures. @wjz pic.twitter.com/E0mhxaR7hE
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) March 17, 2023
"I will always love you, baby. I wanted nothing but the best for you. My God, I just can't believe this has happened to my baby. "Fly high, baby… R.I.P. Breon. No more walkin these hard, dark streets. My heart is broken. I will miss you, but I will never forget or stop loving my baby boy!"
Ennis was a student at Achievement Academy.
He was killed nearby, outside a gas station in the 2300 block of East Northern Parkway just before 10 a.m. Thursday.
Ennis’ mother shared this message about her son, “Fly high, baby… R.I.P. Breon. No more walkin these hard, dark streets. My heart is broken. I will miss you, but I will never forget or stop loving my baby boy!” @wjz pic.twitter.com/Yi57k54650
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) March 17, 2023
Sherry Christian, a spokesperson for city schools, said Ennis, 20, was enrolled in the Reengagement Center, a special program that helps older students get their diplomas.
"These are the folks who work with students who've fallen out of class, fallen out of school, to get them back in, to recover credits so that they can graduate," Christian said. "Achievement Academy is an alternative placement school, where we have students who are over-age and under credited. He was going there to recover the credits so he could graduate."
The shooting happened near a bus stop often used by students.
"Even though the shooting didn't happen on school property, it happened where students are waiting for the bus and they witnessed it, still they're going to need some support," Christian said.
Ennis is joining a growing list of Baltimore students who were killed this year: Deanta Dorsey, Laron Henderson, Andres Moreno Junior, D'Asia Garrison, Tre'Shaun Harmon and Izaiah Carter.
The day before Ennis was murdered, video captured the frightening moments when a 16-year-old REACH! Partnership student was grazed by a bullet.
Security footage from a nearby gas station shows the moment an altercation broke out that led to a 16yr old being shot along Harford Rd. Police say the student (from REACH) is expected to be okay. @wjz pic.twitter.com/zee57Jgsyi
— Kelsey Kushner (@KelseyKushnerTV) March 15, 2023
"We're all struggling. I don't mind admitting. We're struggling. Do you blame us? We're human. Anyone I've spoken to who has been here for longer than I have, everyone has said they've never seen loss like we are suffering right now," Christian said.
She noted the school was closed to students on Friday for a professional development day. She said counselors will be on campus Monday.
"We're all struggling with what we can do to deal with what's happening, but we do know that we're able to keep our students safer in the school during school hours in the classroom than out in the community. We just want to emphasize, this is where you need to be," Christian said.
Police have not revealed any information about a possible motive in Ennis' killing.
You can call 1-866-7-Lockup with tips.