Baltimore Mayor Begs Residents To Stop Shooting Each Other So Hospital Beds Can Be Used For Coronavirus Patients
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore Mayor Jack Young urged residents to put down their guns and heed orders to stay home after multiple people were shot Tuesday night amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
Young said hospital beds are needed to treat positive COVID-19 patients and not for senseless violence. Seven people were shot Tuesday night in the Madison Park neighborhood, as Baltimore reported its fifth positive coronavirus case Wednesday.
"I want to reiterate how completely unacceptable the level of violence is that we have seen recently," Young said. "We will not stand for mass shootings and an increase in crime."
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"For those of you who want to continue to shoot and kill people of this city, we're not going to tolerate it," Young implored. "We're going to come after you and we're going to get you."
He urged people to put down their guns because "we cannot clog up our hospitals and their beds with people that are being shot senselessly because we're going to need those beds for people infected with the coronavirus. And it could be your mother, your grandmother or one of your relatives. So take that into consideration."
Commissioner Michael Harrison said the city has seen an uptick in violent crimes since Friday, including a mass shooting Tuesday night -- where seven people were shot. Five people were transported to area hospitals via medics and two took private cars to the hospitals for treatment. All seven are in serious but stable condition.
Harrison said they are looking for a Silver Honda that was seen in the area.
A city officer who was on patrol in that microzone did engage with a person who's believed to be a suspect in the shooting as the man was fleeing the scene.
The officer was not armed with the level of "deadly firepower" that the suspect had. The officer did fire his weapon, but Harrison said police don't know if the officer struck the suspect.
The officer sustained some minor injuries in the incident and was treated.
The police department is increasing staffing in the areas where crime has increased.
"This incident remains open and under investigation," Harrison said.
Police ask anyone with information in the case to call Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7-Lockup or call the city homicide unit at 410-316-2100.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.