BALTIMORE — The gunman took aim at a crowd of people standing outside the Pedestal Gardens apartment complex in Madison Park and fired off dozens of rounds.
"For someone to have an assault rifle and shoot seven people and still on the loose, I'm pretty much concerned and prayerfully, that he be caught, because it's not going to get any better," said Dr. Andre Humphrey of the Baltimore Trauma Response Team.
A police officer on patrol in the area faced off with the masked gunman who appeared to be armed with a semiautomatic assault rifle and returned fire, but it is not yet known if he injured the suspect.
The shooting left five people wounded on the sidewalk, and two others later showed up in area hospitals.
"All seven victims are in serious, but stable condition,” said Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison. “We are looking to locate a vehicle of interest, which has been described as a silver Honda that was seen in the area."
The shooting outraged Mayor Jack Young, as most of the city is in shutdown mode to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
"We cannot clog up our hospitals with their beds with people who are being shot senselessly, because we're going to need those beds for people who might be infected with the COVA virus, coronoavirus,” said Young. “And it could be your mother, your grandmother or one of your relatives so take that into consideration and put down the guns."
Tensions remained high following the shooting as police held onlookers at bay, some of whom had come to the aid of victims before help could arrive.
"They was being disrespectful, like... the police... they was treating us wrong,” said Black Clark. “I live in this apartment and they weren't letting me get back in my apartment. They came off at me aggressive. They weren't showing no type of like... like they care... like they was here to help."
Anyone with information that could lead police to the gunman are encouraged to call Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP.
