Watch CBS News

Mayor Young, Community Members Voice Frustrations Over Violence Occurring Throughout Baltimore

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Mayor Jack Young made a passionate plea to members of the community on Wednesday to stop the bloodshed.

Mayor Young said during his plea that members of the community should speak up.

"Everybody knows what's going on, they [are] in your families, and you know what they are doing, turn them in," he said.

There have been more than a dozen shootings in Baltimore since Monday, and Mayor Young voiced his frustration.

"Everybody wants to say we are not doing anything," Young said. "But my question is, what are we doing as a community to say enough is enough and to start reporting and turning these people in"?

Across the city, community members like Dorothy Cunningham said they are already doing that.

"Me, myself and my residents, we report crime all the time," Cunningham said.

Cunningham said that her 16-year-old grandson was killed earlier this year, but even before the tragedy, she said that she never backed down from reporting crime.

"Maybe the mayor needs to come to Irvington and take a walk with me and talk to the residents because people do what they need to do, but we can't do it alone," Cunnigham said.

Just hours after Mayor Young's remarks, there were two more shootings. Police went door to door near North Ellamont and Baker Streets, but one man explained silence could mean survival.

"People are afraid to speak up," Kenny Ebron said. "What benefit is it going to help a person to come forward to give information that's going to jeopardize their family."

Wednesday evening, there a benefit basketball game at Frederick Douglass High School for one of the city's latest homicide victims- well-known comedian and athlete Gerald Brown.

Related Coverage

Brown's grandfather spoke with WJZ.

"I feel good, I mean this is just upbeat and everything," Gerald Brown Edward Sr. said. "Hopefully this will do something to help out the way the city is going right now."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.