Security Camera Video Shows Chaotic Scene, Quick Police Response After West Baltimore Mass Shooting
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Security camera footage WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren obtained shows a car running a stop sign at Pulaski and Lexington Streets just moments after six people were shot near Smallwood Street at 2:23 p.m. Wednesday.
Seconds later, a person comes running around the corner.
Within 2 minutes, a police car rushes toward the scene and an ambulance arrives. Then, police block off the street as bystanders gather.
First responders bring out a stretcher. And moments later, more officers head down Lexington toward Smallwood.
Within 12 minutes, paramedics come back with a victim on that stretcher. The police commissioner praised the quick response.
???? Security camera video shows the response to the West Baltimore mass shooting yesterday that injured 5 and killed 1 victim. @wjz pic.twitter.com/zHcH5hO3tl
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) June 17, 2021
The mayor has expressed outrage over the violence.
"It pisses me off. I was out there talking with neighbors who are I also upset," Mayor Brandon Scott told WJZ. "...It's a neighborhood working with my office to develop their neighborhood policing plan."
The police commissioner said "at least 2 or 3 suspects" approached the 6 victims and opened fire. One of the victims was just 16 years old. Another died at a hospital.
"They are emboldened because they think they can—and because they don't fear consequences or suspect that there are none—or a combination of both," said BPD Commissioner Michael Harrison. "But there are consequences, and you've seen us now arrest a bunch of people for murder. This will be another one of those cases."
Homicides are up year-to-date in the city including a fatal shooting in broad daylight outside Mondawmin Mall this week. The mayor said gun arrests are up as well.
"We're going to go down and track these people down like we have been. This is why we have a 51% clearance rate for homicides," the mayor said. "We are going to continue to hold people accountable. We are going to go after these folks. We are going to target folks who are committing violence in the city. But we're also going to work with our communities and our partners to build a better, safer Baltimore."
WJZ saw officers back in the 2100-block of West Lexington Street Thursday morning—the scene of the mass shooting—looking for answers that can help them solve this case.