A shooting in the Baltimore community of Brooklyn early Sunday morning killed two people and injured 28 others, according to police, leading to a search for suspects.
At around 12:30 a.m., officers responded to the 800 block of Gretna Court in response to multiple calls of a reported shooting, the Baltimore Police Department said in a statement. Local reports indicated there was a block party taking place when the carnage began.
An 18-year-old woman was pronounced dead on the scene and a 20-year-old man was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later, authorities said, while the other 20 victims roughly between the ages of 13 and 32 made their way to local hospitals.
During a mid-afternoon press conference on Sunday, acting Baltimore City Police Commissioner Richard Worley said all but nine injured victims had been released, and a couple of the victims who remain in hospitals were in critical condition.
Officers continue to scour a “very large crime scene” with assistance from federal, state, and local partners, Worley added. He said police believe more than one person was responsible for the shooting and urged community members to come forward if they have any relevant information, including video footage.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott condemned what he called a “reckless, cowardly act of violence that has taken two lives and altered many, many more.” He pledged that authorities will find those responsible for the mass shooting and hold them accountable.
VIDEO: Baltimore police say 30 people shot at block party this morning range in age from 13 to 32. Two victims have died, another 9 remain hospitalized. No shooter in custody. @livenowfox pic.twitter.com/y1oIDHRYZx
— Josh Breslow (@JoshBreslowTV) July 2, 2023
Scott, a Democrat, also said the shooting is a “glaring, unfortunate example of the deep issues of violence in Baltimore, in Maryland, and this country — particularly gun violence and the access to illegal guns.”
In a tweet, the Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police said the patrol shirt for the Southern District — which includes Brooklyn — was “working short-handed as usual” at the time of the shooting. The tweet also pushed for a retention and recruiting plan to address a staffing shortage.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore, a Democrat, released a statement thanking first responders and bemoaning gun violence.
“The fact that these horrific shootings continue to take place is abominable,” Moore said. “We as a state will continue to do everything we can to prevent senseless acts of violence like the one we saw last night.”