Homicides Triple, Non-Fatal Shootings Decline by Nearly Half Between April and May

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Homicides in Baltimore City roughly tripled from April to May, and reported non-fatal shootings dropped by approximately 46 percent.

Compared to the six homicides in April, May saw 20, demonstrating an increase of roughly 333.3 percent. The total number of non-fatal shootings between the months dipped from 28 to 15, a decrease of about 46.4 percent.

Yearly totals by the end of May 2025 dropped significantly compared to the previous year, with Baltimore Witness data showing an approximate 13 percent decrease in homicides and 46.7 percent in non-fatal shootings. The statistics differ from those released early June by the office of Mayor Brandon M. Scott.

“Compared to this time last year, the City has seen a 23.6% drop in homicides and a 23.4% drop in non-fatal shootings — the fewest number of homicides in the first five months of any year on record,” said Mayor Scott in a June 2 press release. “This continued progress shows that our strategy to build a safer, better Baltimore is working,”

On May 15, a man charged with double homicide was found guilty by jury of all seven charges levied against him. Vincent Harris, 27, could face up to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for his involvement in the July 2023 murder of Di’shon Smith, 20, and Deshaun Waters, 21. Among his charges were four counts of first-degree murder.

Co-defendant Tyrone Payne, 24, who carried out the shooting along with Harris and a third unnamed man, was found guilty by a jury in mid-April of all his charges but two. Harris and Payne were arrested in January last year, approximately two-and-a-half weeks apart.

Among arrests made in connection to homicides was Ronald Hall, Jr., 48. Hall is suspected to have fatally shot Albert Manning, 37, on May 11 while on the 3500 block of 2nd Street. On May 28, officers arrested Hall without incident and charged him with murder, assault and firearm violations.

Attempted murder defendant Liteeaf Peterson, 25, was acquitted by jury on all charges but one that resulted in no verdict. Investigations revealed that officers had misidentified the intended victim of the shooting, leading to errors in Peterson’s indictment sheet. Despite counsel’s request for postponement to amend said errors, Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Erik S. Atas moved forth with the trial, leading to Peterson’s acquittal.

In late May, the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) announced the arrest of a 15-year-old boy in connection to a non-fatal shooting incident that occurred on the 300 block of S. Macon Street. The May 19 incident left a 16-year-old boy injured but in stable condition.

The juvenile suspect also sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound during the incident, and was transported to an area hospital for treatment. Upon his release, he was transported to the Central Booking & Intake Facility and charged with attempted murder, assault and several firearm violations.