Rally Held For 9-Year-Old Shooting Victim
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- It was a bloody weekend in Baltimore. More than a dozen people were shot, including a nine-year-old girl. It's the second child injured in gunfire in just two weeks. Now activists say it's time for the community to step up.
Meghan McCorkell has more on what they're doing.
Community members say as more children fall victim to violence, people need to start talking to police.
Activists took over the streets where a 45-year-old man was gunned down Friday night. The nine-year-old girl he was caring for was grazed with a bullet.
"The disease of harming children is plaguing our community," said Munir Bahar, 300 Men March.
That little girl watched as Ali-Rashid Butler died.
Surveillance video shows the suspect running away.
"He was a nice person to me," said Darod Butler, the victim's nephew.
"We wouldn't want him hurt out of anybody because he wouldn't hurt anybody," said Dorian Butler, the victim's sister-in-law.
Now members of the 300 Men March are trying to send a message.
"We must stop killing each other. That's the number one message: we must stop killing each other," said Sean Stinnett, 300 Men March.
That nine-year-old girl wasn't the first child shot this month. Police are still searching for the gunman who shot three people along West North Avenue, including a 10-year-old boy.
"This is the first two weeks of school and we're talking about a 10-year-old and a nine-year-old that have been shot," said T.J. Smith, Baltimore Police Department. "The fact that they were in the midst of this violence is a big problem for us."
Activists say it's an issue that must be solved at the community level.
"Until we stop the violence, get these people off the street and clean up our communities, we'll be out here all day, every day," said Daphne Alston, Mothers of Murdered Sons.
And they won't stop.
"When someone truly, truly tries to kill and injure one of our babies, we are going to ramp that up and bring out the entire community in force," said Baltimore City Councilman Brandon Scott.
Until the gunmen are off the streets.
Police tell WJZ they have not received a single tip in the shooting involving that nine-year-old girl. Anyone with information is asked to contact Baltimore City police.
