Family of Baltimore teen shot and killed during school lunch hour asks community for justice
BALTIMORE -- The family of a teenager who died after he was shot alongside four other Baltimore students at a shopping center on the outskirts of town says they are heartbroken.
"I'm feeling really heartbroken. That was my 16-year-old brother and he was a good kid," Latifah said as she fought tears in the parking lot where he was shot.
She said her brother, Deonte, died after gunfire erupted at the Edmondson Village Shopping Center shortly after 11 a.m. on Wednesday.
In the aftermath of the deadly shooting, the parking lot in front of the Popeye's was littered with shell casings—the sad remnants of the seconds it took to rip apart several lives and dozens of hearts.
"I love him a lot," Latifah said.
The group of students was standing near the fast-food restaurant during their school lunch break when gunfire erupted.
"What we believe that, now, is those two shooters—after discharging multiple rounds—fled behind the building and made their escape," Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said at a press conference following the shooting.
Officers on patrol in the area and school police quickly responded to the shooting site and began helping the injured teenagers.
The four survivors include two 17-year-old boys and two 18-year-old men.
They were all taken to local hospitals to receive treatment for their injuries.
Deonte was taken to Shock Trauma, which is where he died.
"He didn't deserve this," Deonte's stepmother said. "He was only 16 years old. He was a good kid."
Police are searching for two suspects. Investigators are reviewing surveillance video.
Mayor Brandon Scott is hoping that the community will help them find the evidence they need to capture the suspected shooters.
"Every single solitary detail matters," Scott said during the press conference. "The why. The who. The where the gun came from."
The family of the murdered teenager is calling on anyone with information to step forward.
"We want justice for our baby," Latifah said.
School officials canceled Thursday classes at Edmondson Westside High School following the shooting. Instead, they will be offering counseling on the school premises that day and lunch services for children in search of a meal.
