Police say violent crime near Inner Harbor is rising as officers investigate death of a teenager

BALTIMORE - Police say a Pikesville teen took the Metro on April 1 with four others to the Inner Harbor where a 17-year-old was shot and killed.

Through surveillance video, 19-year-old Dejuan Cole was identified in the group believed to have been involved in a robbery that night.

Devron Tyner was shot in the 200 block of East Pratt Street. He died at Shock Trauma, police said.

Cole, who turned himself in to police, faces charges of first-degree murder, and second-degree murder, as well as various assault and weapons charges.

At a City Council Public Safety meeting, Baltimore Police said the homicide numbers are down from a year ago.

"Currently, for 2024, our homicide numbers are 52 in comparison to 2023 of 74, so we are down 29.7%, but also would like to state, we know one act of violence in our city is one too many," said Deputy Commissioner Monique Brown. "Currently, our clearance rate is 45.5%. For our non-fatal shootings for 2024, we are at 114 compared to 145 last year. That is a reduction of 21.4%, and our clearance rate is at 37.8%.

Baltimore Police say violent crime is on the rise near the Inner Harbor.

In 2023, there were at least 126 victims of violent crime on Pratt Street, including common assault, larceny and robbery.

Cole is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on May 8 in district court.