Good Samaritan in Baltimore treats gunshot wound of a young victim, laments ‘All they know is guns’

On Monday, law enforcement was on the hunt for the individuals who initiated a deadly shooting at a holiday block party in Baltimore. The incident claimed two lives, injured 28, and compelled a local resident to intervene upon discovering a wounded teenage girl at her doorstep.

Police have named the deceased as Aaliyah Gonzalez, 18, and Kylis Fagbemi, 20. The injured range from ages 13 to 32, with over half under 18 years of age, as stated by officials.

Charlene Bowie, a 66-year-old local resident living near the site of the incident, recounted witnessing a large assembly of primarily teenagers. “Initially, they seemed to be enjoying themselves. But soon, under the influence of alcohol, their behavior started becoming erratic,” she expressed.

When the situation escalated, Bowie alerted the police and advised her 15-year-old granddaughter to come inside. Shortly after, they heard gunshots; one of them hit their air conditioner, causing a piece to strike her granddaughter’s back. Though unhurt, they both took shelter on the floor, Bowie explained.

Soon after, she heard a frantic knocking at her door. Upon opening it, she found a young girl, shot and lying on her steps. Bowie rushed to fetch a rag and used it to tie an improvised tourniquet around the girl’s leg to stem the bleeding. She recalled, “I kept speaking to her, trying to keep her calm.”

The news of young individuals losing their lives was especially distressing for Bowie, who lost both her son and grandson to separate instances of gun violence years ago. “It’s heartrending because they’ve barely begun to live. All they understand is guns, and it’s tragic,” she expressed sorrowfully.

The conditions leading to the Sunday shooting are under investigation. The authorities spent extensive hours examining a broad crime scene in the Brooklyn Homes area in Baltimore’s southern section.

As of early Monday, no arrests had been made. Baltimore’s acting Police Commissioner Richard Worley revealed that it was unclear whether the shooting was targeted or random. The presence of multiple shooters was, however, suspected.

Worley added that the event, a tradition for years, was held without a permit this year. The police were not informed in advance, unlike previous years. “By the time we arrived, the incident had already taken place,” Worley admitted.

In the wake of the Baltimore incident, the nation has seen other violent episodes leading up to the July Fourth holiday. In Kansas, a nightclub shooting injured seven and two more were hospitalized after being stampeded in the panic.

The eruption of violence in Baltimore happened during a week when federal prosecutors were promoting efforts to decrease violent crime in the city. The number of homicides and shootings reported so far this year is almost 130 and close to 300, respectively, albeit lower than the same period the previous year.

James Townes, a local resident whose son was fatally shot two years ago, described his frantic search for his other two children, aged 16 and 11, who were present at the block party. Upon finding them safe, he held them for a significant period of time, expressing relief.

Expressing sorrow, Governor Wes Moore said, “My heart breaks for these victims, their families, and the Baltimore community that is coping with the loss.”

In contrast to this year, several locals noted that police were deployed at the block party in previous years. The annual event in July celebrates the South Baltimore neighborhood, comprised of modest row houses and public housing.

64-year-old Anthony Lewis, a bullet passed through a window and lodged into his bathroom wall during the incident. A subsequent bullet pierced a downstairs window. Afterhis girlfriend’s distress, thinking he was shot, Lewis is now considering his plan to move out of the city more urgently.

“I need to get away from it,” he declared.

Note: This story corrects the spelling of Aaliyah Gonzalez’s surname throughout.

Note: This story corrects the number of injured throughout to 28, not 30.

This report includes contributions from Ramer, reporting from Concord, New Hampshire, and Kimberlee Kruesi in Nashville, Tennessee.

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