BALTIMORE — Baltimore police are investigating an early Monday morning homicide that pushed the city to its deadliest January in about 50 years.
The victim was found shot at around 1:51 a.m. on Morris Road in Southwest Baltimore’s Rosemont neighborhood, near Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park, police said. The man, so far unidentified by police, was later pronounced dead.
The victim is the 36th counted this month, marking the deadliest January in nearly 50 years. Thirty-five people were killed in January 1973. The monthly death tolls include those injured by shootings in prior months who later died.
On Sunday, a 66-year-old man was found shot in the 3300 block of Rueckert Avenue, just before 6 p.m., police said. He was taken to area hospital where he later died.
A 31-year-old man was injured in a shooting in the 400 block of North Highland Avenue near East Monument Street in East Baltimore. Police did not provide any motive or suspect information for the latest shootings.
Police and city leadership are coming under additional pressure to curb the unrelenting violence in the city. There were nine people killed last week, including the husband of a police internal affairs lieutenant who was waiting for a refrigerator delivery at home in Northeast Baltimore, and a Little Italy restaurant general manager killed in Fells Point.
The department released a statement Monday morning noting that officers made 58 arrests over the weekend, including two individuals who were charged with murder; 11 for handgun-related offenses; and five robberies. Police also said officers served 55 warrants, including one murder warrant, one attempted murder warrant, seven robberies and one handgun warrant.
“The Baltimore Police Department continues to work with area law enforcement partners to increase visibility and with community organizations to identify and apprehend violent offenders,” the statement said.
A goal of Mayor Brandon Scott’s administration is to reduce gun violence by 15% over a year. But so far, homicides are up by nine victims compared to this date last year, and nonfatal shootings are up by 11, with 56 people injured in shootings this year.
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