Dozens were injured, and two people were killed after gunfire erupted at an annual block party in Baltimore over the holiday weekend, and authorities are still on the lookout for multiple suspects,
Mayor Brandon Scott told CNN that most victims were teens who had attended the beloved yearly celebration known as “Brooklyn Day,” named after the South Baltimore neighborhood.
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Most Of Baltimore Block Party Victims Were Teens, Mayor Vows To “Find Those Responsible”
Aaliyah Gonzales, 18, and Kylis Fagbemi, 20, were identified as the two victims who were fatally shot early Sunday morning, according to the Baltimore Police Department.
Gonzales was pronounced dead at the scene, while Fagbemi died later at a nearby hospital, the outlet reports.
Meanwhile, Scott went on to call the shootings “cowardly” and “reckless.” He added that the city will do everything in its power to bring those responsible to justice, Fox News reports.
“This was a reckless, cowardly act of violence that has taken two lives and altered many, many more,” Mayor Scott said during a press conference Sunday afternoon. “We will find those who are responsible, and we will not stop until we do so.”
At Least Two Gunmen Responsible For Mass Shooting, No Arrests As Of Monday
A total of 30 people were shot at the block party, which reportedly did not have a permit, per authorities. Baltimore PD Acting Commissioner Richard Worley said all victims ranged in age from 13-32.
Nine of the victims remained at regional hospitals as of Sunday afternoon.
Investigators believe at least two shooters were involved. However, Worley says there could be more.
He described the crime scene as “very large” — spanning several blocks — CNN reports.
None of the suspects were in custody as of Monday morning.
Anyone with information about the deadly mass shooting is urged to call 911 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 866-7-LOCKUP.
Police have identified the two people killed in the Brooklyn mass shooting as 18-year-old Aaliyah Gonzales and 20-year-old Kylis Fagbemi.@wjz pic.twitter.com/VVs3LxhAfC
— Amy Kawata TV (@AmyKawata) July 3, 2023
Mayor: Seizing Illegal Firearms Is Solution To Gun Violence, Shootings Continue To Spike Nationwide
The mayor says 1,345 illegal guns have been seized as of July from convicts and felons who aren’t allowed to possess firearms, as per WBALTV. Scott doubled down on the necessity of confiscating illegal guns to better ensure the community’s safety.
“This tragedy again shows why we must continue to focus on the amount of illegal guns on our streets that make it into the hands of individuals who should not have them and continuously carry out violent acts in our city,” Scott said as per CNN.
Meanwhile, there have been 340 mass shooting incidents in 2023 as of July, according to Gun Violence Archives. Nearly 10,000 Americans have been shot and killed due to a non-suicidal shooting this year alone.
This is a developing story. Be sure to check back in with The Shade Room for more updates as they come.
