They finally post what we have known all along!
Police seek end to chain of killings
City's suspects, victims have similar criminal records, demographics
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By Del Quentin Wilber
Sun Staff
Originally published May 25, 2003
When Baltimore recorded its 100th homicide early this month, police officials expressed frustration -- not just with an unexplained surge in deadly violence that puts the city ahead of last year's pace but also with their inability to directly attack the problem.
Police are often stymied, they say, by the very nature of Baltimore's deadly violence, which springs from a culture where victims and killers are frequently part of the same milieu. In many cases, yesterday's suspect becomes tomorrow's victim, making it exceedingly difficult to break the chain of killing.
Under new Commissioner Kevin P. Clark, police are trying to attack the underlying circumstances associated with homicides by harassing drug dealers and those who hang out with them. Police hope that by disrupting the underworld's street life, they can eventually reduce overall violence and killings.
Police are implementing those strategies as the city continues to endure a modest spike in killings. Through Friday, the city had recorded 112 killings, compared with 101 through the same period last year. In 2002, the city tallied 253 homicides, a dip from 256 in 2001 and 261 recorded in 2000, when Baltimore dropped below 300 killings in a year for the first time in a decade.
Police point to many factors that contribute to the stubbornness of the homicide numbers. Many are targeted attacks. The majority are outdoors and at night. The killings are scattered throughout the city. And they are often isolated events.
But in interviews with top police commanders and detectives, authorities usually return to one vexing characteristic about city homicides that stands out above all others -- the victims' backgrounds are often indistinguishable from those of their killers.
"Our murders involve criminals -- whether they are victims or suspects," said Maj. Antonio Williams, commander of the city's homicide unit.
In order to get a better handle on the situation, police launched a study of this year's first 100 homicides.
What they found did not surprise them.
Nearly every suspect -- 42 of 43 -- had a criminal record.
So did 80 percent of the victims.
Typical of many of those killed was Haywood McKinnon, police say.
Recently released from prison after serving time for attempted murder, the 22-year-old was gunned down April 30 on the front steps of an East Baltimore house. Just a few weeks earlier, he had been arrested on drug dealing charges.
Police detectives have few suspects in the case and say they believe McKinnon was killed because he was trying to re-establish drug turf lost while he was behind bars.
John Cooley, 29, was found fatally shot March 13 in West Baltimore. Cooley had a lengthy record of arrests, including a murder charge that was later dropped by prosecutors. Police said they believe Cooley's death was tied to his previous brushes with the law and might have been connected to an earlier killing.
As in many cases, detectives have been frustrated in their investigation of Cooley's death by uncooperative witnesses. One potential witness in that case told a detective that he would not identify a suspect in a photograph, even if his own son's life hung in the balance, police said.
Other victims, such as Tyrone Lewis, put themselves in extremely dangerous circumstances, police say. The 26-year-old -- who had a lengthy record of arrests for a variety of offenses -- was slain March 9 while robbing a drug stash house, police say. Two men have been charged in Lewis' death.
Circles of violence
"These victims are traveling in circles of violence," said Chief Edwin Day of the city's detective division. "They are involved in a culture that begets violence. We have to acknowledge they are traveling in this culture and that comes with risk."
Supporting Day's observation are statistics that indicate many of the city's killings appear to be targeted. With about 80 percent of homicide victims killed by gunfire, just over four in 10 of those were hit in the head and nearly six in 10 were hit multiple times.
"It is very clear that there is an intent behind the shooting," Day said.
Similar profiles
Police also indicate that the profiles of suspects and victims are similar. Of the first 112 homicide victims this year, 100 were men, and 62 were between the ages of 18 and 29. This year, police say, they have identified 66 suspects in 55 killings committed in 2003 and in previous years. Among that group of suspects, 63 are men, and 48 are between the ages of 18 and 34, police said.
Police also say that Baltimore's homicides are scattered throughout the city, which makes it difficult to concentrate resources to prevent them.
This year, the smallest district in geographical size -- the Western -- is leading the city in killings, tallying 27 through Friday. That represents about a quarter of city homicides.
Last year, the Eastern District led the city with 61 killings. Through Friday, the district had recorded 17 slayings, well below the same period in 2002.
Police also say the killings happen in darkness -- 61 people were slain between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. -- when few credible witnesses can be found with legitimate reasons for being near a homicide scene.
The killings also occur in the open, on street corners where seemingly innocuous confrontations can erupt into gunfire.
About 65 percent of this year's killings and 75 percent of those in 2002 were committed outdoors.
That's one reason police are hopeful that their new crime-fighting strategies of harassing drug dealers who roam the streets will help reduce murders.
"There are no quick fixes or easy answers," said Williams, the commander of the city's homicide unit. "It will take time before we see results."
Copyright © 2003, The Baltimore Sun
Police seek end to chain of killings
City's suspects, victims have similar criminal records, demographics
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Del Quentin Wilber
Sun Staff
Originally published May 25, 2003
When Baltimore recorded its 100th homicide early this month, police officials expressed frustration -- not just with an unexplained surge in deadly violence that puts the city ahead of last year's pace but also with their inability to directly attack the problem.
Police are often stymied, they say, by the very nature of Baltimore's deadly violence, which springs from a culture where victims and killers are frequently part of the same milieu. In many cases, yesterday's suspect becomes tomorrow's victim, making it exceedingly difficult to break the chain of killing.
Under new Commissioner Kevin P. Clark, police are trying to attack the underlying circumstances associated with homicides by harassing drug dealers and those who hang out with them. Police hope that by disrupting the underworld's street life, they can eventually reduce overall violence and killings.
Police are implementing those strategies as the city continues to endure a modest spike in killings. Through Friday, the city had recorded 112 killings, compared with 101 through the same period last year. In 2002, the city tallied 253 homicides, a dip from 256 in 2001 and 261 recorded in 2000, when Baltimore dropped below 300 killings in a year for the first time in a decade.
Police point to many factors that contribute to the stubbornness of the homicide numbers. Many are targeted attacks. The majority are outdoors and at night. The killings are scattered throughout the city. And they are often isolated events.
But in interviews with top police commanders and detectives, authorities usually return to one vexing characteristic about city homicides that stands out above all others -- the victims' backgrounds are often indistinguishable from those of their killers.
"Our murders involve criminals -- whether they are victims or suspects," said Maj. Antonio Williams, commander of the city's homicide unit.
In order to get a better handle on the situation, police launched a study of this year's first 100 homicides.
What they found did not surprise them.
Nearly every suspect -- 42 of 43 -- had a criminal record.
So did 80 percent of the victims.
Typical of many of those killed was Haywood McKinnon, police say.
Recently released from prison after serving time for attempted murder, the 22-year-old was gunned down April 30 on the front steps of an East Baltimore house. Just a few weeks earlier, he had been arrested on drug dealing charges.
Police detectives have few suspects in the case and say they believe McKinnon was killed because he was trying to re-establish drug turf lost while he was behind bars.
John Cooley, 29, was found fatally shot March 13 in West Baltimore. Cooley had a lengthy record of arrests, including a murder charge that was later dropped by prosecutors. Police said they believe Cooley's death was tied to his previous brushes with the law and might have been connected to an earlier killing.
As in many cases, detectives have been frustrated in their investigation of Cooley's death by uncooperative witnesses. One potential witness in that case told a detective that he would not identify a suspect in a photograph, even if his own son's life hung in the balance, police said.
Other victims, such as Tyrone Lewis, put themselves in extremely dangerous circumstances, police say. The 26-year-old -- who had a lengthy record of arrests for a variety of offenses -- was slain March 9 while robbing a drug stash house, police say. Two men have been charged in Lewis' death.
Circles of violence
"These victims are traveling in circles of violence," said Chief Edwin Day of the city's detective division. "They are involved in a culture that begets violence. We have to acknowledge they are traveling in this culture and that comes with risk."
Supporting Day's observation are statistics that indicate many of the city's killings appear to be targeted. With about 80 percent of homicide victims killed by gunfire, just over four in 10 of those were hit in the head and nearly six in 10 were hit multiple times.
"It is very clear that there is an intent behind the shooting," Day said.
Similar profiles
Police also indicate that the profiles of suspects and victims are similar. Of the first 112 homicide victims this year, 100 were men, and 62 were between the ages of 18 and 29. This year, police say, they have identified 66 suspects in 55 killings committed in 2003 and in previous years. Among that group of suspects, 63 are men, and 48 are between the ages of 18 and 34, police said.
Police also say that Baltimore's homicides are scattered throughout the city, which makes it difficult to concentrate resources to prevent them.
This year, the smallest district in geographical size -- the Western -- is leading the city in killings, tallying 27 through Friday. That represents about a quarter of city homicides.
Last year, the Eastern District led the city with 61 killings. Through Friday, the district had recorded 17 slayings, well below the same period in 2002.
Police also say the killings happen in darkness -- 61 people were slain between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. -- when few credible witnesses can be found with legitimate reasons for being near a homicide scene.
The killings also occur in the open, on street corners where seemingly innocuous confrontations can erupt into gunfire.
About 65 percent of this year's killings and 75 percent of those in 2002 were committed outdoors.
That's one reason police are hopeful that their new crime-fighting strategies of harassing drug dealers who roam the streets will help reduce murders.
"There are no quick fixes or easy answers," said Williams, the commander of the city's homicide unit. "It will take time before we see results."
Copyright © 2003, The Baltimore Sun
