Shootings on the Rise in Baltimore City, Homicides Numbers Unchanged in July

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Although higher than totals seen in the first half of 2025, Baltimore City had 15 homicides in July, showing no change from the previous month.

Five out of Baltimore’s nine districts saw increases in homicide numbers, including the Southwest District. Increase by one homicide in June, the Southwest District led the city with four homicides, including that of Kayla Williams, 30, who was found fatally shot shortly before 11:30 p.m. on the 1100 block of Mount Holly Street on July 22.

Investigation into her death remains ongoing.

The number of homicides in the Eastern District also increased from two to three homicides last month. Both the Central and Southeast districts had two homicides.

There was only one homicide each in the Northern, Southern, Northeast, and Northwest Districts. Among the victims was 64-year-old Dennis Dorsch, who was shot inside a residence on the 1500 block of Olmstead Street. After a citizen flagged down officers to report the shooting, Dorsch was taken to a hospital for treatment, where he later died from his injuries.

Non-fatal shootings in Baltimore City hit an upswing in July over the previous month, continuing a rising trend as seen earlier this year.

According to Baltimore Witness data, there were 28 shootings throughout the city last month – a 12 percent increase from June. Baltimore last saw the same number of shootings in April.

Six out of the city’s nine districts experienced an increase in shootings in July versus June. Nearly a quarter of July’s 28 shootings occurred in the Eastern District, which racked up a total of six shootings.

The Western and Northwest districts each experienced five shootings. Two of the shootings in West Baltimore were connected to 21-year-old Michael Reed. The suspect was allegedly involved in a shootout with a 46-year-old man on the 1200 block of W. North Avenue on July 8. The man was injured, but survived the incident.

Wesley Spencer was arrested on July 9 after receiving treatment for his injuries. On July 15, Baltimore Police arrested Reed, who was linked to another shooting incident on July 10 that left a 45-year-old man injured on the 1500 block of W. North Avenue.

While the Northern District saw an increase from two to three total shootings in July, the Central District saw one less shooting for a total of four.

The Southern and Northeast districts each saw two shootings, the latter showing an increase after there were no reported shootings in the district in June. On July 23, three teens – ages 15, 18 and 19 – were shot and injured in Northeast Baltimore on the 6300 block of Kenwood Avenue. The three victims were found with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds around 3:30 a.m. and transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.

There was only one shooting with an unreported location in the city during July.

Despite the two shootings in the south, both the Southwest and the Southeast Districts experienced no shootings in July. The drop in shootings in Southwest Baltimore marked a drastic decrease from the six shootings in June.

The Western District was the sole district to experience no homicides in July, down from two in June.