Friends, Family Rally For Answers After Fatal Club Shooting
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Chaos and killing. Investigators are still trying to piece together why police fired 41 shots into a Baltimore crowd, killing two men-- one of them, a fellow officer.
Alex DeMetrick reports from downtown Baltimore, where a rally calling for answers is scheduled.
Early Sunday police killed two men and wounded four others at Select Lounge. On Thursday, one of those men was laid to rest.
It was a bitter wind outside the March Funeral Home, and a painful day inside for hundreds of mourners who gathered to remember 22-year old Sean Gamble, who was shot to death outside the club Select Lounge.
"There is nothing bad that can be said about him. The media said that he has no criminal record. He wasn't a criminal person. He wasn't of that mindset. He wasn't from the streets. He was just in the wrong place, at the wrong time," said Minister Jacob McNeill, Gamble's uncle.
Baltimore police officer William Torbit Jr. was also killed as fights broke out. Working in plainclothes, police say Torbit was being assaulted when he pulled his weapon and opened fire, possibly hitting Gamble.
Five other officers then fired toward Torbit.
Four others in the crowd were also hit and wounded in a barrage of 41 shots.
"We know it's a mistake and mistakes happen. We know that what happened to Sean wasn't meant to be, but there's got to be some sort of recourse for the actions taken," McNeill said.
Police hope surveillance video will help unravel what exactly happened. Dispatch records will also be checked.
Meanwhile, plainclothes officers will now work in uniform.
"And this is purely for officer safety reasons," said Anthony Guglielmi, police spokesperson.
Training and rules regarding lethal force will also be reviewed.
"Deadly force is to be used as a final deterrent; it's not to be used first," McNeill said.
The outcome can last forever.
A rally has been scheduled for Thursday evening. It will call on Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate these shootings. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has also asked for an outside police agency to investigate.
Funeral arrangements for Officer Torbit have been made. A public viewing will be held Tuesday at Wylie Funeral Home on Liberty Road. On Wednesday, a wake will be held at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen. The funeral service is planned for 11 a.m. Officer Torbit will be laid to rest at Arbutus Memorial Park.
