After the mass shooting in Baltimore, there were no homicides for an entire year

BALTIMORE (AP) – As gun violence continues to say no in Baltimore after years of rampant bloodshed, the historically turbulent neighborhood in the city’s southwest corner is celebrating a long-awaited victory: zero homicides in greater than a year.

These numbers have particular significance for the Brooklyn community where: mass shooting in July 2023, it tore through the annual summer party, leaving two people dead and 28 others injured in the courtyard of an aging public housing estate. Majority victims they were teenagers and young adults.

In the wake of the tragedy, the city’s flagship anti-violence program Safe Streets has stepped up its efforts in the area, and officials say the efforts are paying off. On Tuesday afternoon, residents and city officials gathered near the site of the mass shooting to have fun a year of progress.

“This just isn’t just an achievement for Safe Streets. It’s a testament to Brooklyn’s resilience and community strength,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott. “This is a community that has been sold out, neglected and ignored for a protracted, very long time. But together, together, we are saying enough is enough.

Citywide, homicides are down about 24% in comparison with this time last year. That’s roughly it 20% decline in 2023when Baltimore recorded fewer than 300 homicides for the first time in nearly a decade, ending a surge that began in 2015 after the death of Freddie Gray and widespread civil unrest.

Violent crimes too decreased nationwide after a surge during the pandemic.

The Baltimore Safe Streets program includes 10 offices situated in the city’s most dangerous neighborhoods. It was released in 2007 and has developed in recent years under Scott, who has ceaselessly pledged to treat violence as a public health crisis and address its root causes.

Safe Streets focuses on de-escalating conflicts by employing mediators with credibility and street knowledge. This is an inherently dangerous job because they develop close relationships with people who find themselves most liable to becoming perpetrators or victims of gun violence. Officials say reaching young people is vital.

Adanus Sprillium, 22, said he recently enrolled in a residential job readiness program that was really useful by Safe Streets staff in Brooklyn. He had his first GED class last week. Sprillium said he previously struggled with drug addiction and homelessness.

“I would probably end up dead or in jail,” he said.

A community survey conducted in the weeks after the mass shooting in Brooklyn found that city officials consider many borough residents place more trust in Safe Streets than Baltimore police, local schools, nonprofits and other institutions. Only neighborhood churches ranked higher.

Still, the presence of Safe Streets staff at the block party was not enough to forestall it from ultimately degenerating into chaos and bloodshed.

Baltimore police faced heavy criticism for their response to the incident. The report pointed to potential bias amongst officers after finding police he ignored many warning signs and didn’t take proactive motion in the hours before the shooting broke out. Critics questioned whether police would have responded in another way if the shooting had occurred in a wealthier neighborhood.

The department announced disciplinary charges against a dozen officers earlier this year.

Five teenagers arrested in reference to the shooting. Four of them have already pleaded guilty to varied charges.

Sean Wees, director of Safe Streets’ Brooklyn chapter, said a lot of the staff have deep roots in the community. In response to the shooting, the team has made every effort to advertise safety and ensure residents have access to services. However, Wees said there continues to be much work to be done.

“We are working to promote peace and progress here in Brooklyn,” he said during Tuesday’s meeting. “We cannot stop until these kinds of ceremonies are no longer needed – until peace becomes the standard, not a streak measured in days or months.”