For nine straight days in April, no one in Baltimore was slain.
The streak of bloodless days closed out a month of relative peace on Baltimore?s streets, which are all too often blighted by almost daily killings.
In fact, April?s 10 homicides mark the least murderous April in Baltimore since 1977. Last year, for instance, 20 people were slain during the month.
“Looking back over 25 years, it?s very rare we have a month with 10 homicides,” said Baltimore police spokesman Sterling Clifford. “That said, 10 homicides is still 10 homicides.”
Police have recorded 63 homicides in Baltimore this year, a 31 percent decrease from last year. Nonfatal shootings are also down considerably: to 152 from 213.
But those slayings the city has seen have been grisly.
– On April 11, a landlord, James Daniels, 51, was allegedly killed by a man, whose wife told police the couple had a “lovely evening” with family before disposing of Daniels? body in Baltimore County.
– On April 16, 14-year-old Shaundretta Griffin was fatally shot in her boyfriend?s bedroom, after which police overheard the accused gunman saying the fatal head shot was a “mistake.”
– On April 21, police began investigating the stabbing death of Nancy Schmidt, 74, in Remington, in what police said was likely a home break-in.
– The same day, violence erupted outside a West Baltimore church, where hundreds of mourners had gathered for a funeral for a homicide victim, Anthony Izzard, 25, who was killed April 11. Outside the Unity United Methodist Church at Edmondson Avenue and Stricker Street, two men were shot. Michael Ellerby, 24, died of his wounds.
CHILD?S BODY FOUND IN SUITCASE
Not included in April?s total is a child?s body that Baltimore homicide detectives found in a suitcase in Philadelphia on April 28.
Seeta Khadan-Newton of Baltimore said she believes the dead child is her grandson, Javon Thompson, who was 18 months old when she last saw him in 2006.
“I?m hoping against hope,” she said. “If it?s not him, then where is Javon? We are grasping at straws hoping that child is alive.”
Detectives began to work Javon?s case again after they received a tip earlier this year, according to police.
Police have solved 16 of this year?s homicides. The department has a 55 percent homicide clearance rate, because detectives also have closed 17 homicide cases from previous years.
POLICE FOCUS ON DRUG GANGS
Police Commissioner Frederick Bealefeld said officers are focused on busting violent drug gangs operating in Northwest and Northeast Baltimore, who drive up much of the crime.
Bealefeld also said his officers are trying to push drug dealers away from the businesses along Pennsylvania Avenue ? a strategy the commissioner acknowledges sends the dealers to other neighborhoods.
Misdemeanor arrests on drug charges are up 33 percent throughout Baltimore, while total arrests have increased 7 percent.
Bealefeld said police are making higher-quality arrests than last year, with arrests in which suspects are released without charges decreasing by 15 percent: from 4,234 last year to 3,617 this year.
Bealefeld and spokesman Clifford credit many city agencies, including the Health Department, mayor?s office and State?s Attorney?s Office, for helping the police lower the homicide rate ? at least so far.
But, Clifford cautioned, last year?s two most violent months ? May and June ? still lie ahead.
