1 dead, 4 injured after mass shooting in East Baltimore

A woman was killed, and four men were injured in a mass shooting in East Baltimore on Monday night, according to police. 

An officer was in the area of Belair Road and Mayfield Avenue around 10:50 p.m. when he heard gunshots. 

He responded to the scene to find two men, ages 20 and 24, suffering from non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, police said. 

A 54-year-old woman, identified as Erica Sterling, was also found suffering from gunshot wounds. She died on the scene, according to police. 

Two more men, ages 25 and 31, walked into a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries as officers were still at the scene of the shooting. 

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the police at 410-396-2100 or call Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7Lockup.

"I didn't even know it was that serious."

Belair-Edison neighbors said they heard gunshots Monday night but didn't know how serious the situation was.

"It's like somebody let off like seven rounds," said one neighbor who didn't want to be identified.

The neighbor said she heard those shots from her home. Tuesday afternoon, she's a bit concerned walking around her neighborhood.

"I just want it to be safe for my kids because they go to school around here and they basically have to walk up the road,"  she said. "The neighborhood is peaceful. It's just this corner. If we can have more police officers patrolling and keep them off the corner, it'd be better."

Safe Streets Baltimore

The shooting happened about a block away from Safe Street, Belair-Edison. 

Site Director Kenneth Robinson said the organization aims to be proactive as violence interrupters. After Monday night, he's reminding neighbors that the door to Safe Streets is always open.

"They can come to us if they have any problems or conflicts that need to be resolved before things end up in a shooting or homicide," Robinson said.

In response, Safe Streets Belair-Edison will hold a community meeting on Wednesday, as well as a coat drive and shooting response event on Thursday.

"We are prepared to help resolve the hurt and the trauma that comes behind it," Robinson said.

Crime in Baltimore

According to data from Baltimore Police, Monday's shooting was recorded as the 132nd homicide of the year, a 28% decline from the 185 cases that were recorded by this time last year. 

Baltimore has continued to see a historic decline in violent crime in the past few years. 

Data from WJZ's Gun Violence Tracker shows reported victims of gun violence in Baltimore declined by nearly 25% from 3,706 in 2022 to 2,753 in 2024.

Baltimore's last mass shooting was reported in August after a man was killed and five other people were injured in the Park Heights neighborhood. A 5-year-old girl was among the injured victims, police said. 

According to police, a group was sitting outside when someone opened fire.