Teen Shooting Suspect a Court No-Show, Trial Delayed

Thank you for reading Baltimore Witness.
Consider making a donation to help us continue our mission.

A 17-year-old teenager charged in a firefight in McElderry Park last September was given a strict warning on Aug. 20 after refusing transportation to Baltimore City Circuit Court for trial.

At the top of the hearing on Wednesday, assistant public defender Gregory Fischer informed Judge Yvette M. Bryant that he was requesting a postponement as Judit Otvos, who represents Kimora Crapper, was unavailable due to a family emergency. Judge Bryant then alerted counsel that the defendant “refused to be transported” from the Western Maryland Children’s Center (WMCC) in Hagerstown.

Crapper’s case was then sent to postponement court before Judge Melissa K. Copeland, who agreed to continue the case on Aug. 21 before Judge Bryant. Given the defendant is a juvenile being tried as an adult, the judge said she did not want to postpone the case further.

Judge Copeland reprimanded the defendant, telling her that if she refused to come to court again, the court will ensure she is transported.

“If you refuse to come, it will not stop the adjudication of this case,” the judge said.

The defendant is facing charges of attempted first and second-degree murder as well as several firearms violations.

The victim of Crapper’s alleged actions was a 17-year-old. On Sept. 18, 2024, Baltimore Police were called around 11 p.m. for reports of “a running gun battle” on the 500 block of N. Rose Street, according to charging documents. The victim was found about one block away from the crime scene with a gunshot wound to his right shoulder and was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital for treatment.

During their review of city surveillance footage, police reported the suspect — later identified as then-16-year-old Crapper — is seen standing on the porch of her home on N. Rose Street where an acquaintance was riding a white bicycle. Three more individuals, including the victim, then walk up to Crapper and begin arguing.

Court documents state that moments later, the individual on the white bicycle pulls out “a large silver revolver-type handgun” from his pants, points it at the victim and begins to chase and shoot at him. Police reported that the video allegedly shows Crapper join the initial shooter; however, the defendant is apparently seen racking the handgun, indicating to police that the gun possibly jammed.

Also seen in the surveillance footage was a third shooter riding a black and green bicycle. Neither of the other two shooters were identified during Wednesday’s proceeding or in Crapper’s statement of charges.

The defendant’s mother told police at the time that her three children, ages 3, 10 and 16, lived at the residence where Crapper was seen standing on the front porch before the shooting. Police reportedly found a black sweater worn by the defendant inside the family’s home.

The victim later identified Crapper during a photo array.