BALTIMORE (WJZ) — The mother of a 14-year-old murdered in northeast Baltimore came back to the scene where her son, Ty, was shot just days ago to honor his life.
“I could care less who did it because what difference does it make if they catch him. I still can’t have my son back,” his mother, Tamesha, told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren. She asked us not to use her last name. “He was my baby.”
READ MORE: Jury Selection Begins In Trial Of Man Charged With Dante Barksdale's Murder#WJZ at 5: A mother speaks about the death of her 14yo son in Northeast Baltimore @wjz pic.twitter.com/M41DzIIc5u
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) September 15, 2020
The teenager was gunned down in the 2600 block of Polk Street in the Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello neighborhood just before noon Friday. He is of more than 50 people shot in Baltimore since Labor Day.
“He was a good baby. If you met him and you sat in his company, then you loved him,” his mom said.
More than 50 people have been shot in Baltimore since Labor Day. To date, there have been 238 homicides and 519 people who were shot and survived. This compares to 245 homicides at this time last year—and 570 non-fatal shootings. @wjz #Baltimore pic.twitter.com/BV8OdijD6i
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) September 15, 2020
50 People Shot, 15 Fatally, In Baltimore In A Week
Ty was an aspiring rapper. “I ain’t worried about jail, I’m just worried about dying,” he said in one of the lyrics his family played for us.
Tamesha got comfort from Tyree Moorehead.
Moorehead is painting a memorial to Ty at the scene. He has designated it a “No Shoot Zone.” This is one of thousands Moorehead has painted across the city as he urges people to put down their guns. You can read more about his activism here.
READ MORE: 3-Dose Covid-19 Vaccine Protects Children Ages 6 Months To 5 years, Pfizer & BioNTech Say“The shooter didn’t have neighbors running out of their house—outraged—saying, ‘What are you doing out here?’” Moorehead said as he lamented the lack of action in the neighborhood. “They didn’t have older men and women stepping out saying, ‘I’ve been living here for years. You’ve got to stop this.’ We used to have that.”
Moorehead took a break from spray painting Ty’s name on the sidewalk to hug and the teen’s heartbroken mother.
“I wish we could paint the whole city a ‘No Shoot Zone,’” he said.
There have been 238 homicides in Baltimore City this year. That is seven fewer than last year at this time.
At least 519 people have been shot and survived in the city so far this year. That compares to 570 at this time last year.
BPD has recently seen incidents of violence occur as a result of individuals playing dice games and other illegal gambling. If you witness any type of illegal or suspicious activity in your community, please call 911 or 311. Caller can remain anonymous https://t.co/PIhr5LDHf8
— Baltimore Police (@BaltimorePolice) September 15, 2020
That includes a 59-year-old man hit in the shoulder in Northwest Baltimore Tuesday afternoon.
MORE NEWS: Maryland Weather: Cooler Weather Offers Much-Needed ReliefAlso Tuesday, police identified 39-year-old Melvin Thompson as the man who was killed in Federal Hill Park on Sunday. You can read more about that shooting here.