Details of the incident
Baltimore police were in the 700 block of Washington Boulevard when they were alerted to gunshots. A ShotSpotter alert confirmed that the shots came near the 800 block of Cross Street.
Officers arrived at the Royal Farm parking lot across from Horseshoe Casino at 1500 Russell Street, where they found the 26-year-old man with multiple gunshot wounds.
The man was taken to Shock Trauma in critical condition, police said. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter.
While officers were working the scene of the crime, the 22-year-old walked himself into a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. That individual is in stable condition.
WBALTV reported that a witness, who did not hear the shooting, claimed it caused a commotion.
“Friends around there, crying girls. It's 2 a.m.,” they said. “It freaked me out. About 10 police cars came.”
Another isolated incident
Just like the shooting at the food court inside of the MGM, police said they believed the shooting was targeted and an isolated incident, and therefore was not a danger to future casino visitors.
Police have one unnamed suspect on their radar. The investigation is still ongoing.
The authorities have requested that anyone with pertinent information call 410-396-2100.
Despite the consecutive weeks of shootings, there is reason for optimism regarding local crime. Baltimore reported only 126 homicides this year, 31.1 percent fewer than the 183 it had at this time last year.
Prince George's County Police Chief George Nader, who was in charge of the MGM shooting, expressed similar sentiments.
“It’s rare that instances like this occur,” he said, while revealing that violent crime was down 32 percent in the area. “The harbor is safe. This was a targeted incident. We believe that it would have folded out anywhere once these two individuals came into the same area.”