Brooklyn hosts healing event amid trauma that lingers year after Baltimore’s worst mass shooting
Click here for updates on this story
BALTIMORE (WBAL) — Baltimore’s Brooklyn community continues to heal amid the trauma that lingers a year after a mass shooting killed two people and injured 28 others.
Multiple people opened fire at a neighborhood celebration on the night of July 2, 2023. It became the worst mass shooting in Baltimore’s history, taking the lives of Aaliyah Gonzalez, 18, and Kylis Fagbemi, 20.
“We, as a community, have been trying to pick up the pieces from what happened last year,” said Angel Salisbury, a Brooklyn resident. “Wherever you go, it should be safe. But to think about gun violence is devastating.”
A year later, the community converged again for the Brooklyn Healing and Wellness Event that runs through 7 p.m. Tuesday.
“We’re not going to stop. That deep relationship that we have here in this neighborhood, we’re going to continue to work with those folks. I know that we still have 17 residents that are under case management with MONSE,” Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said at a news conference held before the event. “We’re going to be here as long as we need to be here to help this neighborhood and the residents, more importantly, continue to heal, because healing from an event like that doesn’t just stop after a year. It’s going to be working with people, many of them, for the remainder of their lives, and as long as I’m in city government, we’re going to be focused on that.”
Over the past year, the Baltimore Police Department has reviewed its response that day — the steps that were and weren’t taken — leading to accountability. The findings led to recommendations released Thursday that 12 officers and other employees face discipline, including terminations or suspensions.
“To the Brooklyn community, our hearts are going out to the victims who passed and the multiple victims who were shot. Once a victim, you are always a victim. There was a lot of gunfire that night. It was stressful for everyone on the scene,” Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley told 11 News Monday afternoon in an exclusive interview.
At Tuesday’s event, police officers were in Brooklyn to keep watch. The Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement, along with members of the community, organized the event focused on healing and wellness to make resources available, from mental health to jobs. The event also offers food and household product giveaways, as well as a kid’s village where children can play.
“Today, we’re going to celebrate a win. For the last 12 months, we’ve been healing, and we’re going to promote wellness and wholeness and community in a different way,” said Billy Humphrey, with the City of Refuge Baltimore.
“I think it’s beautiful, it’s wonderful. It’s a necessity. It’s important. It’s beautiful. It’s showing that people really care about the community,” said Juanita Roulhac, a Baltimore resident.
“This is definitely special for us. We can be out, have fun, cope,” Salisbury said.
Some community organizers who work in Brooklyn told 11 News that they feel the area is getting the attention it has deserved for years.
Meredith Chaiken, the executive director of the Greater Baybrook Alliance, a nonprofit community development corporation, described Brooklyn residents as wounded but healing. who are starting to benefit from new resources that she hopes will be sustained.
“The needs have been identified, and now it’s about where can we have impact? How do you get things done? And, I personally feel good about seeing progress,” Chaiken told 11 News. “We see park improvements happening, the picnic benches being installed, playground equipment being put in, kids and families using it. For me, that is motivating.”
Chaiken said there remains a huge need for youth programming, food access and workforce development in the Brooklyn area, but she senses there is traction moving forward.
There are 28,000 residents in the area served by the Greater Baybrook Alliance with a median household income of just over $50,000. The need is great, but the eyes remain on the area. The City Council member for the district, Phylicia Porter, told 11 News that people have banded together to preserve and uplift the community.
2024 statement on Brooklyn mass shooting: Mayor’s office
“One year after the horrific mass shooting at Brooklyn Homes, the scars and trauma that it caused continue to ripple through our entire city. The tragedy shook our community to its core, forever impacted families, and irreversibly altered lives.
“As we mark the year anniversary of the worst mass shooting in our city’s history, our hearts are first and foremost with those we lost, Aaliyah and Kylis, their families, those who were injured, and those who suffered wounds we may not be able to physically see. We share in their grief, their anger, and their desire to ensure that nothing like this happens again.
“The Brooklyn community – and our city as a whole – will never be the same. In the wake of this tragedy, we built so many deep and enduring relationships that will help redefine the story of Baltimore. Through our neighborhood stabilization work and the partnerships forged with residents and community-based organizations, we will continue to heal together.
“I want to thank everyone who has been a part of that healing and stabilization effort. (The Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement), in particular, has built relationships with individuals and connections to the community that had never been felt in Brooklyn in such a large way before — and that work is now being used to inform and improve our work everywhere in the city. The outpouring of love that has been shown for Brooklyn and the active collaboration with local community-based organizations was not only instrumental in identifying how we can best tailor resources in the immediate aftermath, but has been a consistent source of comfort and support since then. Once again, Baltimore did what we always do – show up for our neighbors.
“Deep trauma of this nature is not something we can heal overnight, but I will reaffirm the commitment we made a year ago – we will continue showing up for one another forever. Whether it is mobilizing continued support services, addressing material needs for those who live here, or simply providing an ongoing presence, we will honor that commitment to everyone in Brooklyn Homes and to everyone impacted by this tragedy.
“There is still work to be done. We continue to learn from and implement passages of the comprehensive After-Action Report produced last summer. BPD’s investigation continues. And those who have already been identified and charged are still making their way through the judicial system.
“We will see that work through – just as we will continue to do the hard work of healing in whatever way possible. This tragedy and its impact will forever leave its mark on our city, but in commemorating today’s anniversary, it is the outpouring of love and neighborly support, the determination to make a difference, and the memories of the lives we lost that are filling our hearts today.”
2024 statement of Brooklyn mass shooting: Baltimore police commissioner “Today, we take time to reflect and remember those whose lives were lost due to this terrible incident. My heart continues to be with the families, the Brooklyn neighborhood and our entire city that was impacted by this tragedy.
“In the past year, the department has continued to improve and made significant progress in addressing the key findings of the After-Action Review, while also strengthening our relationship with the communities that we serve and, most importantly, continually striving to do better. Together, we are building trust and working to create a safer Baltimore for all.
“While we have made several arrests of those responsible for this incident, the investigation continues and we are working closer than ever with all our partners to combat violence in Baltimore and to ensure the safety of all who live, visit and enjoy our great city.”
Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.
