Man found guilty of 2023 ghost gun shooting in Southeast Baltimore
A man was found guilty in a fatal shooting in East Baltimore, the Baltimore City States Attorney's Office said Monday.
Officials said that on May 19, 2023, around 8:44 p.m., Baltimore Police received a report of a shooting in the 200 block of East Street that involved two victims. One of the victims, 19-year-old Dabrae Edwards, was suffering from a gunshot wound to the head and was found unresponsive.
A second 19-year-old victim was suffering from a gunshot wound to his right leg.
At the scene, detectives observed that the vehicle the victim was driving at the time of the shooting crashed into the side of a rowhome in the 200 block of East Street.
Police found a .40 caliber ghost gun with an extended magazine, ballistic evidence blood, and clothing.
Both victims were taken to local hospitals. Edwards succumbed to his injuries on May 21, 2023.
CCTV footage aids in the investigation
CCTV footage from Pleasant View Gardens Apartment Complex captured the events leading to the shooting. The video showed Edwards driving to the 200 block of East Street, where a passenger, who was one of the victims, exited and began speaking with a group of individuals on the corner, according to the SA's office.
According to prosecutors, Edwards stepped out of the camera's view for a brief moment. When he came back into view of the CCTV camera, another man later identified as Deonte Price was standing to his left.
Price then approached the passenger and appeared to restrain him by grabbing his right arm. When Edwards opened the vehicle's passenger door, Price bent down to look into the car and pulled a handgun before firing at Edwards.
A second suspect who remains unidentified also began shooting at the car. Edwards attempted to flee but lost control of the car before jumping the curb and striking a rowhome.
Both shooters fled on foot, according to police.
Maryland leaders crack down on ghost guns
In 2022, the Maryland General Assembly passed a bill banning ghost guns, which are unregistered, untraceable firearms often assembled from kits purchased online without background checks.
Mayor Scott, who has worked to reduce gun violence in Baltimore City, called the measure "common sense legislation."
Last February, Baltimore City reached a $1.2 million settlement in a lawsuit against Polymer80, the leading manufacturer of untraceable ghost guns. The lawsuit accused the company of negligence, public nuisance, and violations of the Maryland Consumer Protection Act.
