‘Baltimore Is Not Gotham City,’ Says Prosecutor Decrying ‘Vigilante’ Shooter

By Kris Su [former] - December 20, 2023
Attempted Murder | Court | Daily Stories | Non-Fatal Shooting | Shooting | Suspects |

Ricardo Daniel Alleyne, 39, appeared in court on Dec. 20 for closing arguments before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Martin H. Schreiber II.

Alleyne is charged with first- and second-degree assault, discharging a firearm, firearm use in a felony violent crime and reckless endangerment in connection to an incident on Oct. 9, 2022.

The prosecution showed surveillance camera footage to the jury of the defendant allegedly coming out of a white sedan with his gun drawn, and then confronting a victim on the street on the 200 block of South Augusta Avenue, who Alleyne believed was a carjacker.

After Alleyne allegedly took his first shot, the victim quickly ran for cover ultimately sustaining multiple gunshot wounds to the chest. The assistant state’s attorney said the victim was not posing any threat to the defendant. 

The prosecutor highlighted a later conversation between Alleyne and a detective during which the defendant allegedly asked, “Should I aim higher?”

The prosecution called this  “the most disturbing part” of Alleyne’s statement. 

According to the prosecutor, the defendant did not have to track down and shoot at a carjacker in a bid for vigilante justice. “Baltimore is not Gotham city,” said the prosecutor.

Meanwhile, the prosecution claimed the carjacker was going to be prosecuted. When defense attorney Lawrence Rosenberg objected, Judge Schreiber then confirmed there was no evidence showing a carjacker was facing prosecution.

Rosenberg told the jury Baltimore Police Department (BPD) investigators said all the witnesses remembered the victim reaching for his waist. The defendant reportedly was in fear his four daughters would lose their father, and that caused him to pull the trigger.  Additionally, Alleyne thought there was going to be a gunfight when the victim was going for cover, said Rosenberg.

Update: The jury reached a partial verdict for the 39-year-old defendant on Dec. 21.