2 killed, 3 wounded, including 2 teens, in Southeast Baltimore shooting

Two men were killed and three other people, including two teenagers, were wounded in a shooting in Southeast Baltimore early Thursday morning, police said.

Officers were called to the Highlandtown neighborhood near East Lombard and South Conkling streets around 12:15 a.m., where they found four people suffering from gunshot wounds.

Two men were pronounced dead at the scene. A 14-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy were taken to a hospital for treatment. The 15-year-old was listed in critical condition, police said.

A short time later, a 23-year-old man walked into a hospital with gunshot wounds, police said.

"Please help me," someone shouted over police radio traffic as officers responded to the shooting.

No arrests have been announced. Police are continuing to investigate.

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

Business damaged by gunfire

A bullet shattered the window of Tikal Cocina Café during the shooting.

CBS News Baltimore spoke with the café's owner, Greg Mayen, who said he had never experienced a crime like this in more than a decade of owning the business.

"We never see that. We have a lot of people here and never see that," Mayen said.

Mayen said the business has security cameras, but they are not working properly. He plans to upgrade the cameras as an additional safety measure to help protect the surrounding community.

Another nearby business shared surveillance video with WJZ's Tara Lynch showing a group of people running eastbound on Lombard Street before gunfire erupted.

Neighbors say they're "looking over their shoulders"

Residents said the shooting has raised concerns about public safety and accountability for violent crime.

"Another day kind of thing, doesn't seem to be any consequences for this," said Matthew Robeson, who has lived in the neighborhood for 12 years. "I wouldn't say I'm too worried, but I'm constantly looking over my shoulder to be sure. Always vigilant."

The Southeast Baltimore Community Relations Council works with police and residents to improve safety in the area. Arch McKown, the group's vice president, described the shooting as preventable and suggested it may have been connected to group or gang violence.

"It seems to be targeted. It's probably group violence, gang violence-related type of issue," McKown said.

McKown said violent crime has declined in the area, but residents continue to face issues involving drug and sex trafficking.

"They shouldn't be shooting each other. Two teenagers are out here past midnight, like why are there teenagers out here past midnight? They should be at home," McKown said.

Community members with Operation Respond, a program of the Living Classrooms Foundation, walked through the neighborhood distributing resources.

Neighborhood groups also want to see more community policing in Highlandtown, saying officers should have more opportunities to build relationships with the people who live and work there.

City and state leaders respond

Mayor Brandon Scott called the shooting a tragedy during a bill-signing event at City Hall and said he was praying for the victims' families. He also expressed confidence that police would identify those responsible.

"When you think of this happening to teenagers, especially at that time of morning, is something that we shouldn't even have to consider, but we know the detectives in BPD, our homicide detectives are the best in the country. They will turn over every rock they can to bring justice to those families," Scott said.

Maryland Senate President Bill Ferguson, who represents Baltimore in the General Assembly, also issued a statement Thursday expressing condolences to the victims' families and others affected by the shooting.

"My heart is with the families grieving today, those who were injured, and everyone in Highlandtown shaken by this violence," Ferguson said in a statement posted to X.

"Baltimore has made real progress in reducing violence with real coordination and accountability. But every shooting is a reminder of why we cannot let up even an inch. The type of chaotic violence we saw in Highlandtown is infuriating."

Ferguson said the city and state must continue working to prevent violence, support young people and hold people responsible for violent crimes accountable.

"We will not backtrack on the progress we've made to make neighborhoods safer. We must remain committed to preventing violence before it happens, supporting our young people and communities to stay safe, and holding those responsible accountable when violence like this occurs," the statement said.