Residents Relieved After Charges Filed In Freddie Gray Investigation
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Reaction to the indictment of the officers involved in Freddie Gray's arrest shows how deep the mistrust of police runs in the community.
Marcus Washington has more.
That reaction is coming in waves.
There is relief:
"For once, for something to happen, for someone to take a lead and say this can't happen anymore...it's a wonderful thing," said one resident.
And there is resentment:
"They should have been charged with murder instead of manslaughter. They should have charged them with murder because they killed him," said another.
The center of rioting is now a center of celebration with a quest to make Baltimore a model for the nation.
"We don't have to follow anybody; we can set the model. I believe that we set the model when we were at Pennsylvania and North, going out and talking to people and a lot of folks that we talked to, they just simply wanted to know that you hear them, and you see them and you love them and you respect them and they want to live in dignity," said Congressman Elijah Cummings.
That respect and dignity came wrapped in the indictment against officers involved in the arrest of Freddie Gray.
"Oh my God, I was just so excited. I was excited because this is what it means to have swift justice. We're only at the beginning of the process but it is a definitive big start," said Councilwoman Helen Holton.
Especially in a community conditioned to expect disappointment.
"This is only being charged; they haven't gone to court yet," said a resident.
But the process is in motion.