Heartbroken family demands justice after Baltimore carjacking, deadly hit-and-run
Loved ones are remembering a 24-year-old father who died as he walked along Harford Road near Clifton Park after he was struck by a vehicle that had been carjacked on Oct. 23.
Baltimore police released pictures of those they are working to identify. Police told WJZ Investigates they believe teenagers were inside the carjacked Toyota Corolla.
A family's grief
Eric Browner Jr.'s aunt is one of many grieving family members trying to make sense of the 24-year-old's death.
It happened at Harford Road and Homestead Street just before 11 p.m. Friday.
"You can see in his face how much of a beautiful soul he had, and I just hope that as his legacy continues, people continue to say his name and people continue to post pictures and speak about him, and hopefully his daughter will see and know how great of a father she had," Ashley Browner, the victim's aunt, told WJZ Investigates.
Browner was walking when a red 2009 Toyota Corolla that had been carjacked at a fast food restaurant half a mile away in the 2000 block of Harford Road lost control and killed him.
Police are looking to identify four people who were inside that car.
"I'm furious. I'm frustrated. I feel like these children are so reckless. There's no accountability on their end, on their parents' ends," the victim's aunt said. "I hope that people do the right thing and call. If you know them, say something because I'm sick of it—this thing where we want to aid and abet these criminals."
Reward offered
Police said all the teens initially fled. Then, two of them came back to the stolen Toyota to pick up their belongings and left the scene again in a gray Nissan Altima.
According to authorities, no one tried to help Browner, who suffered catastrophic injuries.
"The intent to leave a scene—to leave someone for dead, dying on the curb as if their life meant nothing—is sickening," Ashley Browner said. "…I'm sure this isn't the first time they've done this, and I'm sure there are a lot of people who know them because their pictures are circulating around social media."
The reward for tips is $6,000. If you can identify the people in the surveillance images, call Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7-Lockup.
Browner, affectionately nicknamed "Fatman" was a barber and a musician, but his family said his greatest role was as a dad.
"Something has to give because it's too much," his aunt said. "There are too many innocent lives being lost. It's so unfair to the families of the children who have to go through this heartache. It's out of control."
Family members spent Monday planning his funeral.
"He was a very ambitious and goal-driven young man. He just wanted to make a difference in his life and his community through his music, through him being an entrepreneur in the community, cutting hair, being a father," Ashley Browner said. "This is what I want people to know. He was a great young man."
