Mother of Baltimore Teen Hospitalized in Officer-Involved Shooting Expresses Concerns
The mother of a teenager who was involved in an officer shooting in southwest Baltimore has spoken out about her son’s condition.
Identified as 17-year-old Mehki, the teen sustained severe injuries, including the loss of a kidney, spleen, and half of a lung.
The mother expressed frustration, stating that she has not been allowed to see her son since he was admitted to Shock Trauma hospital.
According to Baltimore Police, the incident occurred when officers shot the 17-year-old, who was allegedly carrying a weapon and refused to drop it while attempting to evade the police.
The shooting took place near Frederick Avenue and South Catherine streets in Southwest Baltimore.
Cell phone footage obtained later captured the aftermath of the incident, showing the injured teen lying on the ground while being attended to by an officer.
A childhood friend of the teen, who witnessed the incident, expressed shock and a desire to help his injured friend.
The friend described the scene as a devastating moment that felt like the world crashing down.
The Baltimore Police Department has not provided information on the charges the teenager may be facing, and they declined to answer additional questions, stating that more information will be released on Monday.
The investigation into the actions of the involved officer is being carried out by the Baltimore Police Department’s Special Investigations Response Team.
The department has activated its public release of critical recordings policy, which means the decision to release the body-worn camera footage from the incident will be made by the police commissioner.
It is common practice for an officer involved in a shooting to be placed on paid administrative leave, although the department did not confirm this.
In light of this incident, concerns about youth violence have been raised during a public safety meeting in Baltimore.
The Baltimore Police reported a significant increase in juvenile homicides and shootings, with a 67 percent rise in homicides and a 55 percent jump in shootings involving juveniles.
City officials are working on initiatives to engage young people, such as organizing youth sports programs during the summer break from school.
Additionally, the police have announced plans to deploy officers to the Inner Harbor area as needed, following recent large crowds gathering there.
While juvenile violence has surged, overall shootings and homicides have seen a decrease this year in Baltimore.
As of now, 96 people have been killed, and 213 have survived shootings in the city.
This is in comparison to 123 deaths and 246 shootings recorded at the same time last year.
However, as the summer months approach, authorities are closely monitoring the situation to see if these numbers rise.
As the investigation continues, many are eagerly awaiting more details on the incident and the release of body-worn camera footage.
The community hopes for transparency and justice in addressing this officer-involved shooting.
