SW Baltimore residents concerned by crime 'hotspot' where five teens were shot
BALTIMORE - Community members are concerned about the history of crime at a Southwest Baltimore shopping center where five high schoolers were shot on Wednesday.
There have been 41 calls for service in a month's time at the Edmondson Village Shopping Center.
The calls were for a range of things, including aggravated assault with a gun and common assault.
"They know where the majority of the crimes are committed," Baltimore Guardian Angels Regional Director Marcus "Strider" Dent said. "If this is a hotspot, then figure out a way to not make it another -- then bring attention to it instead of people not doing anything."
Community members want to know if something can be done about the property.
There was similar community outrage last month at a gas station near Morgan State University after a shooting killed 56-year-old Albert Stevenson.
Baltimore police had been called to that gas station 80 times in 90 days.
Police are now scheduled to hold a hearing later this month to see if the business should be closed.
Councilman Kristerfer Burnett, who represents the district where the shopping center is located, said efforts are being made to renovate the shopping center.
He hopes it can be sold to a new owner.
"We had we've had challenges at the shopping center that I mean, to be frank, it's one of the reasons I ran for office in the first place," Baltimore City Councilmember Kristerfer Burnett said. "As a resident of this community, feeling like more needed to be done to improve the safety to improve the quality of the store is the offering and we haven't gotten it done yet."
Burnett said Mayor Brandon Scott allocated $8 million in COVID-19 relief funds to the project.
He and several members of the community have cited businesses for allowing teens to hang out there during the day.
"We were very much working on this, but these issues aren't easily fixed overnight, and, so you know, it requires some patience, but it's not something that's that's been forgotten," Burnett said.
