Arrest made in connection with July block party mass shooting in Baltimore, officials say
By Jamiel Lynch and Sara Smart, CNN
(CNN) — Authorities in Baltimore have arrested an 18-year-old in connection with a July mass shooting that killed two and injured 28 people, according to a news release from the city.
Police arrested 18-year-old Tristan Brian Jackson on Thursday. According to the release, he has been charged with seven counts of conspiracy to commit first degree murder, seven counts of attempted first degree murder, and 41 other related charges.
CNN is working to determine if he has an attorney.
The mass shooting occurred around 12:30 a.m. on July 2 in the south Baltimore neighborhood of Brooklyn during an annual event known as Brooklyn Day.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott previously told CNN, “Folks were out there having a celebration and then at some point, gunshots rang out and folks of course were trying to get away, get out of there.”
Aaliyah Gonzalez, 18, and Kylis Fagbemi, 20, were fatally shot. The dozens of surviving victims all sustained gunshot wounds, according to acting Police Commissioner Richard Worley. Five of those injured were adults, aged 20 or older, and the remaining 23 were teenagers, ranging in age from 13 to 19, police said.
At the time of the shooting, police said there were at least two people involved in the incident.
Police last month announced the arrest of a 17-year-old in connection with the shooting. The 17-year-old, who was not publicly identified, was charged with possession of a firearm by a minor, assault weapon possession, reckless endangerment, and handgun in a vehicle, police said.
The Baltimore Police Department “has been working tirelessly on the investigation,” Worley said in Thursday’s news release. “While this investigation is still ongoing, I applaud the work of all the BPD members, the Homicide Detectives, our law enforcement partners and our community collaborators who will not rest until they see justice served.
“While this arrest cannot undo the damage and trauma caused that day, it is my hope that it can bring some peace and justice to the families of all the victims and the Baltimore community.”
The mass shooting is one of more than 440 in the US as of mid-August, according to the Gun Violence Archive. The archive, like CNN, defines a mass shooting as one in which four or more people are shot, not including the shooter.
State’s Attorney Ivan J. Bates said “my commitment to the victims, their families, and our community remains steadfast,” according to the release.
“We will pursue this case with the utmost diligence, ensuring that all evidence is scrutinized and every legal avenue explored. Our message is clear: no act of terror will overshadow the strength and resilience of Baltimore or its residents. Together, we will emerge from this tragedy stronger, more compassionate, and unyielding in our pursuit of a safer tomorrow,” Bates said.
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CNN’s Gloria Pazmino, Kristina Sgueglia and Celina Tebor contributed to this report.
