Baltimore residents remain on edge after months of violence
BALTIMORE -- A death in police custody ignited riots in Baltimore last April; but the killing hasn't ended there. Murders last month tied a record and the cops are asking for federal help.
On the southwest side of Baltimore, Mariah Womack pushed her son's stroller down the street -- a block away from a house where a woman and her seven-year-old son were shot and killed in May.
She was asked what her thoughts were on the rising crime in the city as she raises her son.
"I am absolutely terrified to be honest," said Womack. "It's like, when he gets older and he's like, ' oh, mom, I want to go out and play with my friends,' it's like, will he return home at night?"
Last year, 211 people were killed in Baltimore. 192 people have already been murdered this year. In July alone, 45 were killed, matching a monthly record set in 1972.
The city hasn't yet recovered from the riots that exploded in April after the death of Freddie Gray in police custody.
Six officers were charged in the case. Now some residents accused the police of backing off making arrests. Public trust in law enforcement has been so eroded that the police commissioner was recently fired.
Congressman Elijah Cummings begged the public to work with police.
"There's no way that these murders can be solved unless we have the cooperation of the public," said Cummings
More than half of all homicides remain unsolved. And words alone cannot heal the divide. A man recently broke into Mariah Womack's home. She did not call the police.
"I just feel like ever since the whole Freddie Gray incident, there is absolutely no respect for the police," said Womack.
And that is something interim police commissioner here says that he will be working on with the help of ten federal agents who will work with Baltimore PD. to solve murders over the next couple of months. But here there is skepticism that such a small number of federal agents will be enough to make a difference.