Violent Crime Wave Rattles Baltimore Residents

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore has seen several shootings across the city since Friday. 

Some of those shootings have been near tourist locations like the Inner Harbor. There was a double shooting in the 500 block of South Charles Street on Friday that left one man dead. 

Another shooting occurred in the parking garage of the Horseshoe Casino early Sunday morning. 

But the vast majority of the shootings have been in residential communities.

"I think this crime needs to stop," a mother of two told WJZ. 

This mother lives about a half block away from a shooting near Washburn Avenue at 10th Street in the South Baltimore neighborhood of Brooklyn.

"I've been here seven years since the crime started and it hasn't stopped," she told WJZ. "Feels terrible—my daughter, that's why I take her places like the stores and stuff so she has stuff to do in the home, because I can't let her out."

"Twenty-four-hour swivel," Larry Lamb told WJZ—a reference to constantly being aware of his surroundings. "You've got to stay alert at all times around here."

In the same neighborhood, a woman by the name of Pamela Dukes said while inside her business Saturday, she heard gunshots nearby and everyone took cover.

Dukes is listed as the CEO of By Grace Counseling Services, a drug treatment facility, and a new in-patient treatment facility called I'm Still Standing By Grace.

Dukes says the treatment center is very involved on the block and will directly engage with others in order to show that illegal activity will not be tolerated.

"Do you see, this corner's empty and even when you're around that corner it's empty. Most of the time that's how it is because people go on about their business because they know we come out and we get involved," Dukes said. "And when they come out and stand we come outside and we ask can you please move along—this is a treatment center."

Shootings have been happening at unexpected locations like one in the parking garage of the Horseshoe Casino on Sunday.

Ashik Lama recently moved to Baltimore from Montgomery County. He said he hopes his recent move is still a good investment.

"People are going to commit crime around the tourist spots," Lama said. "You can't do much but let's just hope that it doesn't happen or it just gets minimized."

In:
• Baltimore City
• Inner Harbor
• Shootings