Families Sue Baltimore Housing Authority Over 2023 Mass Shooting

The families of Aaliyah Gonzalez and Kylis Fagbemi, the two individuals killed in the July 2, 2023, mass shooting during the Brooklyn Day Block Party, have filed a lawsuit against the Housing Authority of Baltimore City.

The incident, which became Baltimore's largest mass shooting, resulted in 28 injuries and claimed the lives of Gonzalez, 19, and Fagbemi, 20, shortly after midnight as the community celebrated its annual event.

The plaintiffs allege that the housing authority was negligent in its duty to provide adequate security measures that could have potentially prevented the tragic shooting.

In response to the lawsuit, the housing authority has stated that it is unable to comment as it has yet to be formally served with the legal documents.

Additionally, four individuals injured in the shooting have also initiated legal proceedings against various parties involved.

While five suspects have been charged in connection with the shooting, no one has yet been held accountable for the murders of Gonzalez and Fagbemi.

A comprehensive 173-page report has surfaced, shedding light on the Baltimore Police Department's inadequate response to the mass gathering. It was noted that police had discovered promotional materials for the block party just days prior but failed to take necessary actions to ensure safety.

The report indicated that as the crowd swelled to nearly 1,000 attendees, police did not increase their presence despite observing the event's setup. Furthermore, two CitiWatch camera operators did not alert their supervisors regarding the growing assembly.

Despite claims of full staffing, the police command did not deploy officers from other areas to monitor the situation. The report attributed some of these oversights to leadership turnover within the department, which hampered the transfer of successful strategies from previous years.

Moreover, it was revealed that the housing authority did not receive any emergency calls during the event, raising further questions about the overall safety measures in place.

Reported by HarborBeat based on CBS News (source).