'It should not be normal': Residents push for change after five students shot in Edmondson Village strip mall
BALTIMORE - Community members are outraged and calling for change after a shooting killed one high school student and injured four others at Baltimore's Edmondson Village Shopping Center.
The students attend Edmondson Westside High School, which is across the street from where the shooting took place.
"What is it going to take until we make that change," Baltimore resident Joyous Jones said.
Community members can't believe the new year is starting this way.
"We have plateaued," Jones said. "300, over 300. It's going up. Every politician have guaranteed that they have a crime plan."
Baltimore Police believe the students walked over to the shopping center on their lunch break and then were shot by two suspects.
The President of the Edmondson Village Community Association told WJZ she's met with school leaders, police and business owners to try to keep students from loitering at the strip mall.
"Now we have five kids that were shot. I mean, this could have been avoided," Edmondson Village Community Association President Monique Washington said.
As the weight of this tragedy sinks in, community members desperately hope something will be done to prevent more violence.
"I need to say this to our community people," Washington said. "You need to, you have to get out and start being informed and engaged because if not, this is the type of stuff that happens."
"It should not be normal," Jones said. "We should not go back to our regular jobs or back to our routine. It should strike home and it seems like it doesn't hit anybody until it does strike you."
Councilman Burnett spoke at a news conference with Police Commissioner Michael Harrison and Mayor Brandon Scott.
He said his prayers are with the families of the teens shot here.
He wants anyone with information to come forward.
