Safe Streets Hosts Peace Walk In Brooklyn After Murders Rock Neighborhood
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- There's a fight for peace in the Brooklyn neighborhood after two men were shot and killed in the Brooklyn Homes community off Glade Court on Monday.
According to police, the victims were 43 and 35.
"Help us help you, Brooklyn, help us help you," yelled Safe Streets worker, Weezie, into a megaphone Wednesday evening at a peace walk sponsored by Safe Streets.
In attendance was Ashley, a single mother who lives with her three young sons off Glade Court.
"We have these little babies growing up in this world and y'all out here shooting... my babies could be out here playing," she told WJZ Wednesday.
Corey Winfield from Safe Streets Brooklyn-Curtis Bay said he was there moments after Monday's shooting took place, and will never forget the piercing screams of one of the victim's daughters.
"It ripped my soul out, when I heard that lady scream out for her daddy as they put him in that body bag," he said. "It crushed me."
But the community says the culture of gun violence and killing is one that happens all too often.
Last Monday, another double shooting in Brooklyn on Valentine's Day took the life of a 16-year-old boy.
Mayor Brandon Scott said Wednesday: "Brooklyn Curtis-Bay is actually one of our targeted pilots for neighborhood policing plans."
And Winfield said he believes in the Mayor's plan because it comes with manpower, which is what they need.
"He's gonna bring in more people, that's what we need, people. People that's out there to stop these issues before they happen, that's called prevention," Winfield said.
While others say in addition to more people working on crime prevention, there needs to be a belief the future doesn't have to be one of killing.
"I believe in that kid right there, even though I don't know him, I don't think he has to grow up and be a killer because he's exposed and experiencing a lot of what's going on in our community," said Marty of Safe Streets Belvedere.
But for single-mother Ashley who said she wants to move, she is filled with fear her sons will grow up and become victims themselves.
"Where else could we go? This is where we live, it's not easy out here at all. And then what do we do? I can't step in front of a bullet. I'm just one person, there's just a lot that needs to be done with this city," she said.
On Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Brandon Scott said Monday's shooting in Brooklyn has been solved and the case in now closed, citing the quick work of homicide detectives, "bringing a case to close very quickly."
