BALTIMORE — A violent 24-hours in Park Heights last week with four men shot and killed. Sunday night a community organization called the Tendea family held a critical conversation to find solutions to end the violence.
Dozens of people came to the Eubie Blake National Jazz and Cultural Center in Mount Vernon to answer a tough question: "Should we leave or should we change?"
Organizers stressed the importance for community members to not leave Baltimore but to better their engagement in the city to promote change.
The violence began Wednesday in Park Heights.
Just after 10 a.m. two people were shot in the 4000 block of Park Heights Avenue. Tavaz Myles, 25, died and a 27-year-old woman was injured.
Less than two hours later, Amare Burruss, 20, was shot and killed in the 4200 block of Pimlico Road.
Three hours after that, Jalil George, 24, was killed in the 2500 block of Oswego Avenue.
RELATED CONTENT: 3 people killed hours apart in Park Heights neighborhood in Northwest Baltimore
Thursday morning just after 9 a.m. Rashard Hall, 32, was found shot to death inside a home in the 3400 block of Saint Ambrose Avenue
Their loved ones are all mourning and searching for answers, as police haven't made any arrests yet. Community organizations like the Tendea family believe there is power in numbers, which is why they're asking neighbors to not abandon their community so we can all fight for change.
"There’s 600,000 approximately people in Baltimore City, everybody can't leave. Somebody has to shift and change the community and make it better. Or else, generations of us will continue to go down the same path that we see happening," said Elijah Miles, chairman of Tendea family.
The meeting on Sunday was all about finding solutions. Organizers say they want to hold neighbors accountable and protect the next generation, which is why they laid out a road map to success.
"When you're thinking about solutions, you're thinking about I need to talk to the superintendent, I need to talk to the mayor, but really it is your personal decisions day to day. We are here to say get organized, join a local organization, get involved with your community so that you can bring some tangible change, some tangible resources, to the people that need it," said Tasin Muhammad, program manager of Tendea family.
"We're not talking about a fight for a day ,or a fight for a week or a fight for a year.. We're talking about a consistent effort of a consistent fight for years to come. Unless we do something to shift the conditions of our community, people will continue to die," said Miles.
On December 11, 2022 there will be a community walk in Park Heights at 6 p.m. to further discuss the solution on how to end the violence.
Various community leaders will be there ready to collaborate with residents to help them find resources to better engage with the community, and fight the violence.
Additionally, if you have any information on the shootings reach out to Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.
