For the Baltimore Police Department it was another day of chasing down bullets sprayed all across the city. Thursday, gunfire struck the North, South, West, and Central districts. In total, 11 people were shot, 1 of them killed on one of Baltimore’s most violent days to date.
However, according to city leaders, the bloodshed is slowing down. Mayor Brandon Scott took to twitter last week boasting his comprehensive approach to public safety is helping bring down homicides. A sentiment echoed by Governor Wes Moore during a recent CNN interview.
“When I think about the state of Maryland, we know at the that our impact and the work that we're doing right now both with the federal government and local government to reduce violence in the state of Maryland that it is working. We plan on continuing to double down on that investment," said Moore.
But a deeper dive into the data, it paints a different picture. While homicides are down overall compared to this time last year, last January, 36 people were killed, the deadliest January on record, potentially skewing the numbers.
The year prior, 27 people were killed and the year before that 26. On par with what we're seeing again this year.
And in February, 17 people were killed this year, one more than February of last year.
"Don't get me wrong. We do need to highlight the progress that we're making, but you can't pretend that people aren't dying every day," said former federal and state prosecutor Thiru Vignarajah.
Vignarajah says based on the numbers he's seeing, it’s still too soon to tout success.
"I think what's frustrating to people of Baltimore is when our city leadership pretends that there isn't a catastrophic problem," he said.
In Annapolis, he’s hoping the comments from city leaders won’t cause crime fighting legislation to go overlooked. With just over two weeks left in the legislative session, several major crime fighting bills are still stuck in committee. Attempts to make stealing a handgun felony, increase penalties for repeat violent offenders, and lengthen jail time for illegal gun possession, all hanging in the balance. Even with Democratic Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates joining the calls for tougher gun laws.
"I’ve gone to too many funerals. I’ve watched too many people and young boys and young men and young kids and young ladies who look like me and you who are dying and losing their lives," said Bates as he lobbied for House Bill 481 earlier this week.
MARYLAND CRIME FIGHTING BILLS STILL IN COMMITTEE: