BALTIMORE — On Monday night, the homicide number was sitting at 338, and the last person killed was a mother of four.
As the year comes to an end, the violence is accelerating.
Over the weekend 18 people were shot-- pain flowing with every gunshot.
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Safe Streets in East Baltimore was out Monday with their megaphones and message trying to bring some positivity.
They stopped at a corner of North Rose that is lined with memorials to people who were killed just feet from each other months apart.
A street side graveyard of candles and flattened balloons symbolizing the violence that plagues the city.
“It just killed the whole Christmas spirit,” said Gardnel Carter. “Our city in the last two years has seen an epic rise in shootings and homicides.”
Gardnel Carter is the Site Supervisor for Safe Streets East located in McElderry Park.
“People are going through a whole lot of frustrations, and frustrations leads to bad decisions,” said Carter.
Safe Streets brought hot soup, a voice, and a reminder that there is community even in the worst of times.
“It pierces your heart because one you realize an individual has been taken from the community it’s going to leave a void,” said Gregory Carpenter. “The other side is the perpetrator if they are caught that’s going to leave a void and a toll on their family too.”
Carpenter was leading the march with the megaphone imploring people to stop shooting and start living.
The march ended at a deli on North Kenwood where a mother of four was killed the night before.
36-year-old Carmen Rodriguez was shot in the head while working at the deli.
In 24 hours three people were murdered within a quarter mile of Southeast Baltimore.
“Some of these people that are committing these acts are our own people,” said Rodriguez. “We gotta grab them and let them know it ain’t alright to do this.”]
Anyone with information this case is asked to contact Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.
