'Extremely Shocking': Brazen Attacks Caught On Camera Around Baltimore, Reward Being Offered
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Brazen attacks were caught on camera around Baltimore and police are asking the public for help in solving the crimes.
Video first obtained by WJZ shows the attack on a civilian employee of the Baltimore City Police Department, who was stomped on the head by a group of teens riding Lime scooters. The suspects continue to remain at large.
These videos are really disturbing but we wanted to show them to you so that someone out there can help solve this crime. It also shows the brutality. This employee gets kicked in the head, again and again.
This case is just one in a series of bold crimes that have happened in Baltimore city.
RELATED STORIES:
- Baltimore Police Department Civilian Employee Robbed Just Days After Deputy Commissioner
- Baltimore Police Say Deputy Commissioner Was Robbed At Gun Point in SE Baltimore
- Mother Pistol-Whipped While Holding 5-Week-Old Son During Robbery In Baltimore
- 59-Year-Old Woman Carjacked In Guilford, Her Dog Was In The Car
- Baltimore Woman's Dog 'Happy' Stolen During Carjacking Found
This video WJZ obtained shows the brutal beating of a 59-year-old civilian employee of the Baltimore City Police Department. The three suspects surround him, two on scooters and one on foot, just before 6 a.m. on Wednesday and start hitting him, knocking him to the ground -- and they don't let up.
The brutal assault continues in the middle of Abermarle Street, steps from the Inner Harbor. He's pushed down again when he tries to get up and then one suspect stomps on his head -- again and again. They eventually search his pockets, take his keys and take off in his vehicle.
WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren asked Commissioner Michael Harrison about the video.
"That is extremely shocking and look at where it happened," Harrison said. "And so it's extremely shocking to the conscience, extremely worrisome and troublesome and disturbing and yes, we are deploying all of our resources in the most aggressive way -- but not abusive -- to be in as many places as we can to deter it."
This is not the only BPD employee who's fallen victim to the brazen recent violence. Two men robbed Deputy Commissioner Daniel Murphy and his wife by gunpoint Friday near Patterson Park.
Murphy recently followed Commissioner Harrison to Baltimore from New Orleans and told WJZ this was not going to break him.
"I'm as committed as ever to helping Baltimore. We came here because there's a tremendous need here for change and we're going to transform this department and help the community," Murphy said. "My wife and I are lucky that we're safe. Many in the community have suffered from far worse."
Just around the corner where the BPD employee was attacked, WJZ obtained video of another bold crime.
Several people with a child are taking a stroller out of a minivan on Lombard Street near President Street when a man comes up and forces his way into the driver's seat. Someone else gets into the passenger seat. One of the victims jumps up and down to get help, but the suspects drive off with the van, leaving the hatch open. The child was unharmed.
"Yeah it makes me angry," said Baltimore resident Margaret Williams. "It makes me really upset -- because there's nothing I can really do about it."
"It appears they have no fear, whatsoever, they have no fear of who sees what they do," another woman said.
She urged public officials to take action.
"Not just talk. There needs to be punishment," she said.
Carolyn Jackson, who also works in the area, told WJZ, "It's just getting more evil and more horrifying. They don't even care if anyone sees what they do."
The attacks both happened near some of Baltimore's busiest streets.
The carjacking happened Tuesday, the same day a woman with a 5-month-old son was pistol-whipped and robbed in Federal Hill.
The same day, a 59-year-old woman was carjacked in a similar way in Guilford --- her dog was taken in the car at the time, but she was reunited with 5-year-old Happy on Wednesday.
Police have not made arrests in that case and have not said if any of these cases are connected.
Mayor Jack Young said Thursday the violence is unacceptable.
"If you're committing crimes out there, we're going to get you," he said.
Thursday night, the FBI and ATF announced they are each offering a $5,000 reward per suspect in the attack on the BPD civilian employee. Metro Crime Stoppers is offering an additional $2,000 reward for a total of $32,000.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations also said it is offering a $1,000 reward in the case.
Anyone with information about any of these crimes should call police at 410-366-6341 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.
