War Of The Words: Governor Hogan And Mayor Scott Spar Over Baltimore Crime
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Once again, Gov. Larry Hogan and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott are sparring about crime in the city and who's doing enough work to get the problem under control.
The back and forth comes after an 83-year-old woman, Marjorie Tyson was shot and injured as she was reading in her bedroom in Northwest Baltimore around 2 a.m. Friday.
Thursday, Hogan sent out a letter to Scott requesting a progress report on the mayor's crime plan and how money to fix the problem is being spent.
Hogan said Scott assured him that his crime plan would lead to "meaningful reduction in violence."
The letter went on to say, some members of the Baltimore City Council are expressing concern that there's "a complete and utter lack of progress" in implementing the outlined plan.
The governor's letter was lengthy and in one portion, the governor requested "a comprehensive update on the implementation of your (The Mayor's) violent crime plan, an accounting of how much state funds allocated for law enforcement have and will be spent, and details on BPD's progress toward closing warrants for violent offenders."
Hogan also said more than $37 million will go to Baltimore next fiscal year for public safety.
The mayor called the governor's letter a publicity stunt because while they were both at Preakness, the issue was never addressed.
"When you want to have a conversation as a man with another man, you do that when you see that man, especially when you're spending essentially the whole day together at Preakness on a Saturday," Scott said.
According to statistics Baltimore police released Friday morning, 131 people have been killed in Baltimore as of Friday morning compared to 127 at the same time in 2021.
Scott said even though homicides are higher this year compared to the same time last, the pace of murders has slowed down since February.
Scott also said police are clearing murder warrants more quickly and more guns are being taken off the streets.
As for 83-year-old Marjorie Tyson, she is one of 276 people shot in Baltimore so far this year who survived their injuries. Her sons told WJZ that she could be released from the hospital Friday.
"Luckily the bullet just kind of went through and came right out. She has no major damage or anything," Price Tyson said.
Price Tyson also reacted to the violence in the city.
"It's crazy; it's just pitiful," Tyson said. "A woman just sitting back doing her nightly reading before she goes to sleep and get shot. It's crazy."
