Separate shootings rock Baltimore communities
Two fatal shootings in the Baltimore area over the past two weeks are under separate investigations, including the deaths of two children in Baltimore County and an officer-involved shooting in Baltimore City. Community leaders and advocates have responded as authorities continue investigating both cases. The post Separate shootings rock Baltimore communities appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers.
Black News 
By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
Two fatal shootings in greater Baltimore over the past two weeks are under separate investigations—one after two children were found shot to death inside their Baltimore County home on July 7 and the other after Baltimore City police officers fatally shot a man they believed was armed during a carjacking pursuit on July 5.
The Baltimore County Police Department (BCoPD) identified the deceased children as 9-year-old Steve Allen and 15-year-old Giovanna Myrie. The siblings were pronounced dead at their Gwynn Oak home on the 6100 block of Talles Road, after law enforcement responded to reports of a shooting around 7:20 p.m. Two bullet holes were visible on the front of the home.
The killings have led to grief and concern throughout the Baltimore County community. Roland Patterson, president of the Baltimore County NAACP, said he was shocked by the deaths.
“Tragedies like this are 100 percent disruptive. It’s impossible for families to proceed forward in the way that they proceeded yesterday when something like this occurs,” said Patterson. “The emotional trauma is immeasurable.”
BCoPD has not publicly named any suspects in the shooting, and the investigation remains active.
Western High School, where Giovanna was a student, also expressed grief following the deaths.
“We are heartbroken by the loss of one of our students and her brother, and our thoughts are with their family, friends and classmates during this unimaginable time,” the school wrote in a July 9 Facebook post.
The institution urged students and other members of the school community who are struggling with the loss to reach out to school officials for support and access to mental health resources.
BCoPD’s homicide unit continues to investigate the incident. Anyone with information regarding the fatal shooting has been asked to contact 410-887-4636.
Baltimore City police shooting under review after officers fire 70 rounds
In Baltimore City, a separate shooting involving Baltimore City police has raised questions about use of force after officers fatally shot a man they believed was reaching for a firearm during an armed carjacking investigation. The object recovered from the vehicle was later identified as a BB gun.
Around 1:25 a.m. on July 5, officers in Baltimore Police Department’s (BPD) aviation unit, Foxtrot, located a vehicle that had been reported stolen in connection with an armed carjacking in Towson, Md. the previous day, according to BPD and Maryland Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division. The aviation unit tracked the vehicle while officers on the ground followed until it stopped in the 3300 block of Clifton Avenue in West Baltimore.
Police said officers approached the vehicle and ordered the driver, who’s been identified as 42-year-old Maurice Daniels, to show his hands. According to BPD, Daniels initially complied but later lowered his right hand toward his lower body as officers attempted to open the vehicle door. One officer yelled that he saw a gun, prompting officers to fire their weapons and strike Daniels.
Officers removed Daniels from the vehicle and rendered aid until emergency services arrived. He was then transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. BPD said the six officers involved in the shooting fired more than 70 rounds during the encounter. A black BB gun modeled after a Colt 1911 handgun was recovered from the vehicle.
The officers involved have been placed on administrative duties while the investigation continues.
BPD released footage from the officers’ body-worn cameras to the public on July 10.
“Any use of deadly force by police officers is a matter of profound public interest and understandably generates serious questions and concerns,” said BPD Commissioner Richard Worley during a July 10 press conference. “That’s why we believe it’s important to share the body-warned camera footage and continue to prioritize transparency to help maintain public trust and confidence.”
The shooting has since drawn reaction from community advocates. Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle (LBS), a grassroots organization dedicated to advancing the interests of the Black community, raised concerns about the use of force during the encounter.
“The use of excessive force by law enforcement against civilians is an important concern regardless of the alleged conduct of the victim,” said Dayvon Love, director of public policy for LBS. “Due to the history of violence that police have engaged in toward our community, any use of excessive force serves as a potential indicator that the humanity of Black people is at risk when in the presence of law enforcement.”
The case remains under investigation by the Maryland Attorney General’s Office and BPD’s Special Investigative Response Team.
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