Baltimore brings wellness event to Brooklyn one year after mass shooting killed 2, injured 28
BALTIMORE -- Tuesday marks one year since a mass shooting shook the Brooklyn community in South Baltimore, leaving two dead and dozens injured.
Those killed were identified as 18-year-old Aaliyah Gonzalez and 20-year-old Kylis Fagbemi. Twenty-eight people were also shot and survived; most of those victims were teenagers.
The Baltimore Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (MONSE) is returning today to the Brooklyn neighborhood a year after the tragedy to help families heal from the trauma of that violent day.
Twelve hours after the shooting, MONSE walked around the neighborhood to speak to neighbors about the tragedy that unfolded.
The community responded with frustration and sorrow, expressing that they felt forgotten and only had limited resources.
MONSE brought in trauma response teams, housing assistance and social workers to help approve SNAP benefits on the spot.
"MONSE in particular has built relationships with individuals and connections to the community that had never been felt in Brooklyn in such a large way before — and that work is now being used to inform and improve our work everywhere in the city," Mayor Brandon Scott said in a statement. "The outpouring of love that has been shown for Brooklyn and the active collaboration with local community-based organizations was not only instrumental in identifying how we can best tailor resources in the immediate aftermath, but has been a consistent source of comfort and support since then."
A year later, MONSE is hosting a "Brooklyn Healing and Wellness" event to ensure that these resources remain accessible to residents still feeling the pain from that night.
"Healing won't happen immediately, even after a year," MONSE Associated Director of Victim Services Mark Mason said. "We have a lot of work to do and we are going to continue to stand there and continue to empower that community to continue on that healing path."
The wellness and healing event will be from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. in Brooklyn Homes.
"We can't imagine the pain and trauma this community has felt," MONSE CNSR Manager Rick Fontane Leandry said. "All we can do is be supportive. Listen and just be here for the long haul."
In Glen Burnie, there is another event aimed to never forget this tragic day by honoring one of the victims.
To celebrate Aaliyah Gonzalez's 18 years of life, her family is honoring her legacy today with a festival filled with fun but also surrounded by security.
Aaliyah Day is organized by Redirecting our Culture, a non-profit founded by Gonzales' mother. The organization aims to empower and support communities affected by violence.
There will be basketball tournaments, double dutch competitions, food trucks, vendors and more.
It will kick off at 3 p.m. at Sawmill Creek Park in Glen Burnie today.
