Baltimore Riots

Article by Sabrina Russell
Article posted on April 27, 2015
Baltimore, Maryland--Riots broke out Monday morning following Freddie Gray’s funeral, a 25 year
old man that was arrested April 12 and died one week later from spinal cord
injuries.   The riots began just a few blocks away from Gray’s funeral as
protesters began setting fire to buildings and looting stores.

                7 officers were injured Monday afternoon after a violent
encounter with rioters at the Mondawmin Mall.  Police were responding to a
widely circulated flier that had been released on the internet calling for
a “purge” to start at the mall around 3 p.m. and to end in downtown
Baltimore.

                Baltimore Governor Larry Hogan has since signed an
executive order calling for a state of emergency and activating the
Maryland National Guard.

                There have also been reports of gangs such as the Bloods
and the Crypts joining together to specifically target the police force and
cause harm to them.

                Mayor Rawlings-Blake stated tonight in a press conference, “*It
is very clear there is a difference between what we saw over the past week
with the peaceful protests, those who wish to seek justice, those who wish
to be heard, and want answers and the difference between those protests and
the thugs who only want to incite violence and destroy our city.”*