Baltimore mass shooting: Two dead, three critical and 25 more injured in ‘cowardly act’

Two people have been killed, three left fighting for their lives and 25 others injured in a mass shooting at a block party in Baltimore overnight.

Police said Sunday that the ages of the victims ranged from 13 to 32. Fourteen of the victims were minors, according to law enforcement.

Baltimore Police Department said it responded to calls of a reported shooting in the Brooklyn Homes area of South Baltimore at about 12.35am on Sunday. Polie were unaware that the party was happening until they received emergency calls, and did not have patrols in the neighborhood at the time of the shooting.

Acting Police Commissioner Richard Worley confirmed 30 people had been shot in the incident in the 800 block of Gretna Avenue when he spoke at a press conference at the scene.

Mr Worley said police believe there were multiple shooters — but did not specify how many — and said no suspects had been apprehended as of Sunday afternoon.

“We know for sure there are more than one. We don’t know how many (suspects),” Mr Worley said.

An 18-year-old woman died at the scene, while a 20-year-old man later died after being taken to a local hospital.

Eight other victims were also taken to local hospitals, and 20 more walked into hospitals across the area.

Speaking at the scene, Mayor Brandon Scott condemned the shooting. “This was a reckless, cowardly act that happened here and that has permanently altered many lives and cost two people their lives,” he said.

No arrests were made immediately after the shooting and police remain at the scene. Authorities said the crime scene was extensive and that it would take some time for detectives to work it.

"I want those who are responsible to hear me, and hear me very clearly,” the mayor continued. “We will not stop until we find you, and we will find you. Until then, I hope that every single breath you take, that you think about the lives that you took, think about the lives that you impacted here tonight."

He asked anyone with information to come forward to assist investigators, saying: "Treat this as if it were your family. How you would want people to treat it if you were mourning, if this was your neighborhood, if this was an event in your community that this happened at. We want you to treat it that way because that's how we have to treat each other as Baltimoreans."

Councilwoman Phylicia Porter, of District 10 Baltimore City, wrote on social media: “Our hearts are heavy as we learn about the devastating mass shooting incident.” She added: “Please keep the victims and their families in your thoughts as we navigate through this tragedy.”

Hundreds of people had been gathered for an event called “Brooklyn Day”, witnesses told WBFF-TV, while others reported to Fox 45 that they had heard 20 to 30 shots fired.

The shooting is the third mass shooting in the US this month, and one of 338 in the US this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive, which defines a mass shooting as any gun violence incident in which at least four people, excluding the shooter, is injured.