BALTIMORE — 32 homicides in the first 26 days of the year and city leaders said they’re working overtime to bring justice to the many families who are mourning.
Wednesday Mayor Brandon Scott talked about what his Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement or MONSE is doing to help address the trauma behind these violent incident.
As city police work to solve these cases, the mayor's office is focused on healing the trauma. But he has an even bigger goal working to learn how to prevent the crime in the first place.
“It’s about meeting them where they are understanding their pain in a trauma informed way, and getting them any helping assistance that they need. Folks are killing each other over some of the stupid nonsense that’s happening on the streets of Baltimore,” Mayor Scott said.
One of the most recent killed was 43-year-old James Blue. It happened Tuesday near 1400 Walker Avenue.
Sources tell WMAR, Blue was the husband of a current lieutenant who’s works for the Baltimore Police Department.
RELATED: Husband of Baltimore Police Lieutenant murdered outside home Tuesday
Tuesday city leaders released a statement responding to a violent weekend in the city saying:
“We acknowledge that this has been a heavy start to 2022, with more than a dozen shootings this weekend. Many of these incidents have deeply hurt and traumatized our residents, neighborhoods and communities”.
Mayor Scott said this is part of the reason why the collaboration with MONSE and Safe Streets alongside Baltimore Police is so important, to address the web of trauma every shooting and killing leaves behind.
“On the 26th of January and Safe Streets have already mediated 59 conflicts that would’ve ended up in an active violence if it were not for them. So now to add on top of that getting in front of people and talking to people about their trauma with train folks is something that will help Baltimore be a safer city and heal as a city as well,” Mayor Scott said.
And although no arrest have been announced for any of the homicides so far this year Mayor Scott said it takes time to make sure things are done right the first time.
“They have to build those cases they have to make sure that those cases are solid because when we catch these cowards and we will we don’t want them getting back out. When we hand them over to the states attorney or the federal attorney or the other parts of the criminal justice system, we don’t want them being back out we’ve had that conversation far too many times. Our homicide detectives are the best in the world they are going to work those cases until they can’t work them with the information that they have, but to that point we also need more information,” Mayor Scott said.
There is now a $4,000 reward being offered for James Blue who was killed Tuesday.
Police are asking anyone with information concerning any of the homicides this year to contact Metro Crime Stoppers if you have information that could lead to an arrest.
