2 Young Men Latest Gunned Down In Baltimore City Violence

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Police say they know the core people who are behind the violence in Baltimore--so why are they still on the streets? It's a key question after the murders of two promising young men this week.

WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren with the latest.

Police tell WJZ a core group of hardcore criminals is behind violence that has reached crisis levels in Baltimore.

"The people that appear to be responsible for this are the same people responsible for much of the crime in the city," said T.J. Smith, Baltimore City Police Department.

And two innocent young men are the latest brazenly gunned down.

Jaquan Holt, 21, was killed in the northeast part of the city. His family says he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. He's a former star Dunbar High School football player and honor student.

"Great kid. I've been knowing him since he was nine-years-old. Hard working, respectful kid, great grades in school," said Lawrence Smith, Dunbar football coach. "He wasn't that type of kid who was doing the wrong thing in the streets. That's just not the Quan I know."

A bullet casing and other evidence remains in the street. Holt's devastated family tells WJZ he was doing nothing wrong, he was just eating when someone shot him.

Kendal Fenwick, a 24-year-old father of three, was murdered in Park Heights this week.

His uncle tells WJZ drug dealers were mad he was disrupting their path by putting up a fence in his yard so his kids could have a safe place to play.

"Everyone can fall victim, and now, the innocent are falling victim, such as my nephew," said Corey Fenwick, victim's uncle. "His children are going to ask, 'Where is dad?'"

Yet if police know who's behind the violence, why can't they arrest them--now?

"Although we know through various investigative means that they've committed violent acts, they've committed murder, we have to get to that threshold of probable cause in order to take them into custody for that crime," said Smith.

Smith says they often try to get the core criminals on other crimes, but that takes time.

Police are also tracing the illegal guns behind the violence heading into Maryland.

Loved ones who've lost so much, like the families of Jaquan Holt and Kendal Fenwick, demand justice.

"My friend was murdered because he told you to stop hustling in front of his house," said Dennis Campbell, Fenwick's best friend. "That's a sad thing to say. You're a coward."

Friends and family are pleading with witnesses to come forward to try to close both of these unsolved murder cases.