Baltimore Police seek tips in shooting death of 16-year-old near Johns Hopkins Hospital
BALTIMORE - Police are looking for tips as they continue to investigate a double shooting Monday near Johns Hopkins Hospital that left a 16-year-old dead.
A 26-year-old man was also injured in the shooting and is in stable condition.
The shooting happened around 6 p.m. in the 900 block of North Broadway, outside of the A Plus Grocery & Deli, where the two had multiple gunshot wounds.
The store owner said his employees are lucky to be alive after bullets went through the glass storefront and into his store.
Baltimore City Councilman Robert Stokes, who represents that district, said he hears concerns from his constituents all of the time when it comes to public safety, but he says it has been a challenge to come up with an effective crime plan because Baltimore City is down 600 police officers.
"It's very unfortunate that somebody that young got murdered like that," Stokes said.
The 16-year-old is one of the latest teenage victims of violence in Baltimore.
"It's senseless," Baltimore resident Joseph Gladden III said.
Gladden is among the people trying to understand why teens are becoming victims of gun violence in Baltimore.
"It's almost like it's a game," Gladden said.
Gladden said four months ago, his son was shot in the back at the Inner Harbor.
"Wish it was me instead of him, but I'm still happy he's here," Gladden said.
Gladden's son, just 16-years-old, is now paralyzed from the waist down.
"He might not be able to walk, but I can still talk to him," Gladden said. "We can still be father and son. He's still here."
As the city works to get a grip on the rise in youth violence, Councilman Stokes says he is trying to find ways to recruit more officers to Baltimore City.
"I want to be safe too," Stokes said. "I want to be safe like my constituents, but until we get a better way of recruiting more officers here in the city, if we're still going to be 600 officers short, how can you present a crime plan with 12 to 14 officers in one district?"