Marine reservist Michael Simms ? barely an adult at 18 years of age ? didn?t need to travel to Iraq or Afghanistan to encounter dangerous killers. He met them in Baltimore.
Simms and two friends were attacked on June 10 by a man and woman who, police say, were armed with a shovel, an ax and a knife.
In the heat of the assault, Simms came to the aid of a friend, Robert Beharry, when attacker Maurice Crosby, 19, delivered the fatal blow, Baltimore Police Homicide Detective Frank Miller wrote in his report of the killing.
“Michael Simms pushed Mr. Beharry out of the way and was stabbed one time in the chest,” Miller wrote. “The victim Simms fell to the ground suffering from a stab wound that had pierced his heart.”
Simms became one of 30 people killed in June ? and 151 this year ? as the city is on pace to pass 300 murders for the first time since 1999.
The victims are as young as 15-year-old Maurice Gordon, who was shot to death near Druid Hill Park, and as old as Shirley Cooper, 72, who was fatally stabbed inside her Madison Avenue apartment. Some are known drug dealers, 90 percent with criminal records, police say. But several are respected members of law enforcement ? Troy Chesley, a police officer; Perry Brooks, a correctional officer; and Simms, a Marine.
The violence has infected much of the city, with every district counting at least nine homicides.
While police made two arrests in Simms? case, such quick closures have been rare this year. Police have closed five of this month?s murders and 48 of this year?s 151 homicides, which presents a disturbing statistic: About 70 percent of those who committed murder this year are stillon the streets.
Police chalk up the closure rate to an apathetic population, which turns its collective head and shrugs off the violence rather than cooperate with authorities. Politicians blame a lack of leadership in the department.
But Baltimore Police Commissioner Leonard Hamm points to a nationwide increase in homicides ? the same spike in killings that Philadelphia and Newark, N.J., are experiencing.
Whatever the cause, the homicides represent a 16 percent increase from last year?s numbers, while shootings are up 32 percent ? 352 compared with 267 ? as of June 23.
“When we have kids who are 14, 15 and 16 years old getting shot in the head, I don?t know how the police are ever going to be able to stop that,” said Melissa Techentin, chair of the Southeast Police District Community Relations Council. “I see cops on patrol all the time. I don?t know how someone can stop a coward from shooting someone in the back of the head.”
Mayor Sheila Dixon and Hamm, who attribute the violence to a proliferation of gangs and guns on the streets, have ordered increased foot patrols and asked other agencies for help.
The Maryland State Police and Maryland Transportation Authority Police have begun conducting traffic checkpoints in East and Southwest Baltimore, while the Baltimore City Sheriff?s Office has provided about 20 deputies to walk foot patrols in South and West Baltimore.
From June 11 to July 16 in East Baltimore and from June 25 to Aug. 5 in South Baltimore, police are instituting Safezones, designed to protect communities from violence while delivering services to revitalize those areas. Dixon also has authorized increasing overtime in targeted areas.
Teaming with federal agents, Hamm?s officers this month also delivered a powerful blow to another of the city?s core problems: drug operations.
With three major indictments of drug gangs ?called Operation Fowl Play, Smackdown and Special Heroin ? in June alone, authorities say long-term investigations are yielding results.
“Our goal is to attack the organization, from the kingpin on down ? not just go after the street dealers but go all the way up and indict everybody involved in the operation,” said Maryland U.S. Attorney Rod Rosenstein, whose prosecutors landed indictments in two of the three busts. “Hopefully that will have an impact on the drug dealing and the resulting violent crime on our streets.”
Hamm called the bust of the so-called “Smackdown Organization” that operated in South Baltimore especially significant, given the gang is credited with moving $20,000 worth of heroin a day.
“I ride and walk that area every single day,” Hamm said. “I can see a difference today. … We?re putting pressure on those people who cause problems in the neighborhood, and now we will bring in the city services, federal services and state services.”
Hamm is also getting help from area ministers who say the violence has gone too far.
Fed up with the killing, Pastor Sharon Allen of God?s Unlimited Power International Ministry on Edmondson Avenue has begun taking her sermons to the streets.
“I?m preaching in front of my church door about the violence, and I?m going to keep preaching,” she said. “It?s young people taking out each other, and it just shouldn?t be. We have no right to take another life. Only God has that right.”
But even with new police efforts and alliances, some activists say juries need to convict more people, and judges need to sentence criminals to longer prison terms in order for the streets to ever be truly safe.
Of 43 gun crime cases resolved in court this year, only 35 percent resulted in guilty findings, according to the mayor?s GunStat tracking system.
“Unless the other parts of the judicial system work with the police, we will continue to see the problems that we do,” Techentin said. “I?ve spoken with police who tell me, ?I?ve arrested the same guy six times and I keep seeing him out on the street.? The police are working with a broken wing.”
Homicides by district
» Eastern: 29
» Western: 23
» Northeastern: 19
» Southwestern: 18
» Northwestern: 15
» Southern: 15
» Northern: 13
» Southeastern: 10
» Central: 9
Through June 26
Source: Baltimore police
Baltimore homicide victims in 2007
JANUARY HOMICIDE VICTIMS
Jan. 1: Leon Nelson, 17, shooting, open
Jan. 2: Eddie Golf, 26, shooting, open
Jan. 3: Thomas MacKenney, 21, asphyxiation, open
Jan. 5: Edward Canupp, 61, blunt-force, closed*
Jan. 6: Michael Cunningham, 46, shooting, closed*
Jan. 6: Ray Alston, 27, shooting, closed*
Jan. 7: Yule Henderson, 21, shooting, open
Jan. 8: Rodney Gardner, 21, shooting, open
Jan. 8: Marcus McDowell, 16, shooting, closed*
Jan. 8: Nelsene Burnette, 44, blunt force, closed*
Jan. 9: Troy Chesley, 34, shooting, closed*
Jan. 9: Gregory Rochester, 25, shooting, open
Jan. 9: Melissa Stefanski, 23, shooting, closed*
Jan. 9: William Davis, 26, shooting, open
Jan. 9: Antwaine Curbeam, 30, shooting, open
Jan. 13: Richard Crane, 36, shooting, open
Jan. 15: Dante Watson, 21, stabbing, open
Jan. 18: Bonita Madden, 27, shooting, closed*
Jan. 19: Milan Walker, 30, shooting,closed*
Jan. 19: Anton Jones, 19, shooting, open
Jan. 22: David Thomas, 31, shooting, open
Jan. 23: Ronald Lewis, 34, shooting, open
Jan. 23: Tio Floyd, 24, shooting, open
Jan. 24: Jermall Ford, 31, shooting, open
Jan. 26: Vernon Dredden, 33, shooting, open
Jan. 27: Kevin Fowlin, 24, shooting, open
Jan. 29: Sintia Mesa, 25, asphyxiation, open
Jan. 31: Stephanie Stevens, 22, shooting, closed*
» January homicides: 28
» January homicides closed: 10
FEBRUARY HOMICIDE VICTIMS
Feb. 1: Ryan Holliman, 23, shooting, open
Feb. 2: Desmond Tucker, 52, shooting, open
Feb. 8: Darnell Gaither, 34, shooting, open
Feb. 10: Dwight Evans, 32, shooting, open
Feb. 11: Alusine Kamara, 26, shooting, closed*
Feb. 11: Harold Robinson, 39, shooting, closed*
Feb. 17: George Baskerville, 28, shooting, open
Feb. 18: David Frasier, 29, shooting, closed*
Feb. 19: Darnell Cain, 37, shooting, open
Feb. 19: Brian Lessane, 19, shooting, open
Feb. 19: Charles Pace, 22, shooting, open
Feb. 20: Andre Jones, 27, shooting, closed*
Feb. 21: Daniel Savage, 32, shooting, closed*
Feb. 23: Antonio Harris, 18, shooting, open
Feb. 24: William Duck, 21, stabbing, open
Feb. 26: Vernon Carter, 25, shooting, closed*
Feb. 26: Vic Fenner, 17, shooting, open
» February homicides: 17
» February homicides closed: 6
MARCH HOMICIDE VICTIMS
March 3: Thomas Terry, 19, shooting, open
March 3: Charles Erdman, 65, automobile, open
March 4: Anthony Brown, 20, shooting, open
March 5: Michael Woods, 28, shooting, open
March 6: Richard Stuckey, 17, shooting, open
March 9: Anthony Bryan, 37, shooting, closed*
March 10: Allen Coates, 36, shooting, closed *
March 11: Damon Smith, 40, shooting, open
March 12: Mark Robinson, 48, shooting, closed*
March 13: Tyrone Jackson Jr., 19, shooting, open
March 13: Steven Washington, 17, shooting, closed*
March 13: Christopher Clarke, 18, shooting, open
March 13: Antwan Askins, 27, shooting, open
March 14: Michael Stuckey, 49, stabbing, closed*
March 17: Edwin Mathews, 30, shooting, open
March 17: Rodney Dewitt, 21, shooting, open
March 20: Ricardo Paige, 54, shooting, closed*
March 20: Charles Hargrove, 19, shooting, closed*
March 21: Shawn Weaver, 17, shooting, open
March 26: Theresa Parker, 39, blunt force trauma, open
March 27: Artesha Moses, 18, stabbing, closed*
March 27: Ronald Harmon, 17, shooting, closed*
March 30: David Johns, 23, shooting, open
March 30: Pelvin Derrien, 23, shooting, closed*
March 30: Estefany Gonzales, 16, shooting, open
March 31: Andre McBride, 21, shooting, closed*
» March homicides: 26
» March homicides closed: 11
APRIL HOMICIDE VICTIMS
April 2: Darrell Smith, 21, shooting, closed*
April 8: Eric Zuraski, 39, stabbing, open
April 9: John Daughtry, 25, shooting, open
April 11: Tavon Campbell, 20, shooting, open
April 12: Brent Flanagan, 16, stabbing, closed*
April 18: Johnnie James, 25, shooting, open
April 18: Kevin Randall, 45, shooting, open
April 19: Christopher Wayman, 23, shooting, closed *
April 20: Joseph Ensey, 45, shooting, closed*
April 22: Van Johnson, 29, shooting, open
April 22: Damon Dubose, 23, shooting, open
April 26: Ernest Buchanan, 18, stabbing, closed *
April 27: Dewitt Smith, 25, shooting, closed*
April 29: Ronald Daniels, 29, shooting, open
April 29: Lonnie Plateo, 36, shooting, open
April 29: Azerwoine Walker, 30, shooting, closed*
April 29: Leroy Sanders, 22, shooting, open
April 30: Deshaun White, 31, shooting, open
April 30: Jamal Knox, 16, shooting, open
April 30: Eric Queen, 24, shooting, closed*
» April homicides: 20
» April homicides closed: 8
MAY HOMICIDE VICTIMS
May 1: Abdul Rahim Azzie, 18, blunt force trauma, closed *
May 2: Larry Brockington, 31, shooting, open
May 2: Derius Harmon, 18, shooting, closed *
May 3: Mathew Davis, 23, shooting, open
May 5: Adrian Beasley, 23, shooting, open
May 6: Rocky Bottoms Jr., 24, shooting, closed *
May 7: Thomas Mouzon Jr., 23, shooting, open
May 7: John Graves, 26, shooting, open
May 8: Michael Davis, 25, shooting, open
May 8: William Curtis, 23, shooting, open
May 10: Deandre Hatcher, 17, shooting, closed*
May 11: Gerald Wilson, 22, shooting, open
May 12: Antwoine Hawkings, 29, shooting, open
May 12: Todd Little, 29, shooting, open
May 14: Nathaniel Hicks, 30, shooting, closed*
May 16: Earl Cornish, 21, shooting, open
May 17: Robert Perlie, 16, shooting, open
May 22: Alvin Parson, 22, blunt force trauma, closed*
May 22: Alexander Rose, 23, shooting, open
May 22: Adrian Smith, 19, shooting, open
May 23: Jasman Elmore, 18, shooting, open
May 25: Perry Brooks, 49, shooting, open
May 25: Renard Maith, 52, stabbing, open
May 26: Brian Johnson, 31, shooting, open
May 26: Amin Reed, 30, shooting, open
May 26: Davon Williams, 32, shooting, open
May 27: David Bishop, 32, stabbing, closed *
May 29: Laron Henderson, 27, shooting, open
May 29: Neil Rather, 18, shooting, closed*
May 30: John Drew, 26, shooting, open
» May homicides: 30
» May homicides closed: 8
JUNE HOMICIDE VICTIMS
June 1: James Smith, 31, shooting, open
June 2: David Washington, 24, shooting, open
June 2: Shirley Cooper, 72, stabbing, open
June 3: Curtis Alexander, 28, shooting, open
June 5: Tyrone Bonner, 30, shooting, open
June 5: Mustafa Ghulam, 33, shooting, open
June 7: Demetrius Burnette, 31, shooting, open
June 8: Craig Hunter, 29, shooting, open
June 9: Melvin Jordan, 32, shooting, open
June 10: Michael Simms, 18, stabbing, closed*
June 11: Juan Taylor, 44, shooting, open
June 11: Barbara Griffin, 18, shooting, open
June 12: Curtis Washington, 17, shooting, open
June 12: Sterling Carr, 28, shooting, closed*
June 13: Maurice Gordon, 15, shooting, closed*
June 13: Tyree Williams, 22, shooting, open
June 15: Richard Jones, 36, shooting, open
June 16: Alvis Harris, 40, shooting, open
June 17: Marcarian Grimes, 23, shooting, open
June 18: Riley Pettus, 43, shooting, open
June 18: David Carter, 26, shooting, open
June 19: Ronnie Bundy, 21, shooting, open
June 19: Phillip Airey, 36, blunt force, closed*
June 20: Tarik Tynes, 35, blunt force, open
June 21: George Wilson, 24, shooting, open
June 21: George Williams, 51, blunt force, open
June 23: Kyle Lewis, 27, shooting, open
June 27: Unidentified man, 36, shooting, open
June 29: Joseph Johnson, 29, shooting, closed*
June 30: Paul Cornish, 28, shooting, open
» June homicides: 30
» June homicides closed: 5
» 2007 homicides: 151
» 2007 homicides closed: 48
Homicide comparisons: Washington reported 89 through June 29; New York reported 221 through June 24; Philadelphia reported 200 through June 26.
