Baltimore City Homicides Down, Shootings Up in September

By Hannah Rainer [former] - November 5, 2023
Court | Data | Homicides | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | Suspects | Victims |

September ended with a decrease in homicides in Baltimore City yet an increase in non-fatal shootings, according to Baltimore Witness data.

There was a slight increase in non-fatal shootings in September compared to August, with 56—three more shootings than the previous month.

Out of the nine districts in Baltimore, the Southwestern District saw the highest number of non-fatal shootings at 16. This more than doubled since August, which saw seven, Baltimore Witness data concludes.

The second highest number of non-fatal shootings was seen in the Central District, with 11. While it was the second highest in a district overall for September, it was the greatest increase from August.

Compared to August, non-fatal shootings in the Central District went up 72 per cent whereas the previous month the number dropped to three.

Baltimore Witness also reported three non-fatal shootings in both the Eastern and Western districts in September. One on the 1300 block of North Carey Street on Sept. 24, with two reported victims and multiple suspects.

There were no non-fatal shootings or homicides reported in the Northwestern District.

Meanwhile, September saw an equal number of shootings in the Northeastern and Southeastern districts, with five reported for both areas. This was a decrease from August’s seven-to-nine incidents.

Similarly, Baltimore Witness reported the Southern District had five non-fatal shootings as well, which is one more than August. This was an 82 percent drop from July. A big factor in the decline was the impact of the Brooklyn Homes mass shooting, which resulted in 28 people being injured and two being killed in the July attack. On Aug. 17, Tristan Brian Jackson was arrested in connection to the incident.  

Baltimore Witness also reported four non-fatal shootings in the Northern District but their locations are unknown.

Despite the city’s uptick in non-fatal shootings, Baltimore Witness reported 22 homicides in September, a slight decrease from August, which saw 26 homicides. The greatest number of September homicides occurred in the Central District, with Baltimore Witness reporting five.

The Eastern District saw four homicides, with the Southern, Southeastern and Western districts following close behind with three each.

For the Western District, the total includes the Sept. 28 murder of tech CEO Pava LaPere. During a news conference on Sept. 28, authorities announced the arrest of suspect Jason Dean Billingsley. Billingsley was previously incarcerated for sexual assault, but was released in October 2022. 

Baltimore Witness reported on one homicide for both the Northern and Southwestern districts. 

In the Northeastern District, two homicides were reported.

There were no homicides with unreported locations or police-involved homicides in September.