BALTIMORE (WBFF) — Baltimore is on pace to record its lowest homicide rate in nearly five decades as killings and nonfatal shootings continue to decline, according to our media partners at the Baltimore Sun and Baltimore police data.
But while city and state leaders point to the decline in violent crime as a sign of progress, some Baltimore residents say other crimes affecting their day-to-day lives continue to leave them concerned about safety.
The trend in Baltimore mirrors a national decline in homicides.
As of Monday, Baltimore has recorded 74 homicides and 204 nonfatal shootings for this year, according to Baltimore Police Department data. At the same point last year, the city had recorded 89 homicides and 220 nonfatal shootings.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has pointed to the decline in violent crime as evidence that efforts to address public safety are working.
“Progress is happening because the violent crime rate in the state of Maryland is down nearly 60 percent,” Moore said. “It is amongst the fastest drop in the United States of America. And it’s taking place right here in Baltimore and right here, in the State of Maryland. So do not tell us what we can’t do here.”
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott also pointed to the continued decline in homicides and shootings, saying the progress is the result of sustained investments in public safety and violence prevention efforts. In a Sept. 1 statement, Mayor Scott said the city is continuing to see reductions in violent crime while emphasizing the need to maintain that work.
Despite the decline in homicides and shootings, some neighborhoods continue to experience incidents that have residents concerned.
In July, Baltimore police said a 74-year-old man was violently attacked outside a 7-Eleven in the Liberty Heights neighborhood by multiple male juveniles. Surveillance video of the attack drew attention to concerns about public safety in the area.
ALSO READ | Disturbing video shows elderly man being beaten and robbed outside of Baltimore 7-Eleven
Last week, a teenager was arrested and charged in connection with a shooting at a grocery store that critically injured a man. The shooting happened across from a school.
ALSO READ | Teen charged, man in critical condition after grocery store shooting in Baltimore
Residents say those incidents highlight the need for continued efforts to address violence and other crimes.
“Gotta get this violence out of our streets, especially in front of schools where our kids are all over the place,” one resident said.
Baltimore’s Public Safety Accountability Dashboard-Crime Summary shows that while some categories of crime are declining in neighborhoods, crimes against people and property have increased in some areas.
Federal Hill is among the neighborhoods seeing increases in both categories, according to the city’s data.
Residents in the neighborhood have held meetings to discuss crime and ways to improve safety.
ALSO READ | Federal Hill residents plan to take safety concerns directly to Mayor Scott, Gov. Moore
One woman who has lived in Federal Hill for about 12 years and asked not to be identified said she has seen crime fluctuate in the neighborhood over the years.
“I think we’ve seen a wide range of, you know, up and down,” she said. “It’s very exciting at this point, after a pinnacle of, you know, some pretty serious disturbances, over a period of time. The neighborhood is amazing. They’ve come together. We’ve had great leadership in our neighborhood, working with the city and the resources that we have.”
She said quality-of-life crimes remain a particular concern for residents.
“Quality of life crimes is what, you know, that has people on edge,” she said. “And that’s something that we all want to smooth out and begin to put in the rearview mirror.”
She said she and other residents have been victims of quality-of-life crimes that caused physical or material harm and contributed to concerns among neighbors.
“Enough to, you know, again, like I said earlier, bring the neighbors together to go, ‘How do we stop this?’” she said.
That question remains a focus for residents and police as Baltimore continues to see historically low levels of homicides and shootings.
While the data shows progress in some areas of public safety, residents say they want to see that improvement reflected not only in crime statistics but in their everyday experiences throughout the city.
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