PIKESVILLE, Md. — When police cars filled the parking lot outside the St. Charles at Olde Court Apartments in Pikesville on Tuesday, it made one resident second guess her recent decision to move here to what she thought was a safer neighborhood.
“I moved from the city to the county for the sake of peace and quiet, per se, and I can say since I’ve been here it’s been peaceful. It’s been quiet. No issues. No concerns or anything like that. So, like I said, this is shocking,” said the woman who did not want her name revealed.
Shocking, when police responding to a call for a shooting discovered the body of 28-year-old Wayniqua Johnson inside a unit on Stockmill Road---the victim of that shooting.
Less than 24 hours later, police arrested 18-year-old Shaheem Muse and charged him with her murder.
Investigators say the two had recently entered into a relationship.
While police routinely say one murder is too many, that number has reached a record high of 50 already this year in Baltimore County topping the previous high of 49 homicides recorded back in 2019.
Police Chief Melissa Hyatt issued a written statement saying, “This level of violence is incomprehensible and it will not be accepted in Baltimore County.”
Her full statement can be read below:
“This level of violence is incomprehensible and it will not be accepted in Baltimore County. Violent crime inflicts pain and trauma on the entire community. The effects are long lasting and far reaching. The Baltimore County Police Department will continue to work closely with our partners in the community and across the region to focus on addressing the root causes of violence. Behavioral health crises, domestic and family violence, and lack of conflict resolution have claimed far too many precious lives. The clearance rate for homicides remains high in Baltimore County and we remain committed to ensuring individuals involved in criminal activity are aggressively pursued by the police department and held accountable through working collaboratively with the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure Baltimore County remains a safe place to live, work, and visit.”
But the losses have continued to mount.
“It’s a sad case,” said the resident at the victim’s apartment complex. “It’s holiday time and things like that so anything, when it comes down to making that choice of taking someone’s life is always a hard story.”
Muse is being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center with no bond.
