BALTIMORE (AP) — A fifth teenager has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting that unfolded during a Baltimore block party over the July 4 holiday weekend, leaving two dead and 28 others wounded.
Baltimore police announced the arrest in a news release Wednesday morning, saying detectives believe the teen opened fire at several people.
The 15-year-old’s name has not been released because he’s a minor and details about the allegations against him weren’t available because the court records are sealed. It also wasn’t immediately clear whether he had an attorney who could speak on his behalf.
Officials said he will be charged with 44 counts, including attempted first-degree murder.
The suspect was arrested Aug. 30 on an unrelated handgun violation, according to the news release. He was taken back into custody Wednesday at a Baltimore residence, police said.
Four other teens have also been arrested in the case. One is charged only with possessing a handgun while the others are accused of shooting into the crowd.
The shooting has prompted widespread calls for action amid a spike in youth violence over the past several months.
City leaders recently released a lengthy report detailing shortcomings in the police response to the shooting, which is likely the largest in Baltimore’s history. The report found that officers and supervisors repeatedly ignored warnings about the crowd swelling to nearly 1,000 people, including some who appeared armed and disorderly, in the hours before the party devolved into terror and bloodshed. Teens and young adults comprised most of the gunshot victims at the annual summer celebration in south Baltimore’s Brooklyn Homes public housing complex.
Acting Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley has repeatedly promised accountability for all responsible parties, including the shooters themselves and officers who dropped the ball.
“The devastating effects of this act of violence have continued to ripple through our city and especially our Brooklyn community,” Mayor Brandon Scott said in a statement. “We will continue pursuing justice for our residents, and, while each arrest brings us closer, there is still a long road ahead to heal the trauma this community is experiencing.”
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