Funeral Arrangements Announced For 12-Year-Old Murder Victim
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The murder of a 12-year-old has sparked grief and outrage in Northeast Baltimore. Now, for the first time, the police commissioner is speaking about the investigation.
Mike Hellgren has the latest on the hunt for a killer.
The commissioner says whoever is behind this likely lived in the neighborhood. He also revealed more on the pace of leads coming into investigators.
Police are pleading for information in the murder of Sean Johnson, 12, as a memorial grows at the home near Clifton Park where he was gunned down a week ago. Although there have been no arrests, Commissioner Fred Bealefeld says that doesn't mean they've hit a roadblock in the investigation.
"This is a neighborhood crime. This is a crime committed by other guys who live in that geographic region. They didn't parachute into the neighborhood that night. They were from there and so because they're from there, we know people who know them," Bealefeld said.
The commissioner also said they got some good leads in the first few hours after the murder.
"These guys, they're not invisible. They weren't invisible that night and they're not invisible now," he said.
Johnson was sitting on a porch with friends when a gunman opened fire, leaving him brain dead. Everyone else survived, including his tutor, Towson University student Michael McDaniel, who was hit nine times in the leg.
"It's good that they've got some leads so we can put some closure on this thing. Everybody's got a lot of recovery to do," said McDaniel's mother, Maryland Purnell.
"Someone watching this newscast tonight is going to say, `I know that rotten scoundrel who did that,' and they need to pick up the phone and call my homicide unit so that we can hold people accountable," Bealefeld said.
Johnson's family hopes his death will be a wakeup call to stop the violence that took his life.
Johnson's viewing will be held Friday, June 3. It will be held at the March Funeral Home at 1101 E. North Avenue from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
His funeral is Saturday, June 4 at 10 a.m. at First Apostolic Faith Church on 27 S. Caroline Street.
