The Baltimore Sun has released an after-action report on Wednesday, detailing how city agencies responded to the mass shooting that occurred in Brooklyn Homes on July 11, 2023. The shooting, which is likely the largest in the city’s history, left one person dead and six others injured.
Shooting occurred during a cookout at a public housing complex
According to the report, the shooting happened around 6:30 p.m. on a Sunday evening, when a group of people were having a cookout at the public housing complex in South Baltimore. Witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots and seeing two men fleeing the scene in a dark-colored sedan. The victims, who ranged in age from 17 to 59, were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. One of them, 29-year-old Tyrell Wilson, died from his injuries.
The report stated that the motive for the shooting was unclear, but it could be related to an ongoing feud between rival gangs in the area. The police have not made any arrests or identified any suspects in the case.
City agencies faced challenges in providing emergency services and support
The report also highlighted the challenges that city agencies faced in providing emergency services and support to the victims and the community. Some of the issues included:
- A lack of coordination and communication among different agencies, such as police, fire, emergency medical services, housing authority, and trauma response teams.
- A shortage of resources and personnel, especially for trauma response teams, which had to deal with multiple shooting scenes and a large number of victims and witnesses.
- A delay in securing the crime scene and collecting evidence, due to the large area and the presence of a large crowd of people.
- A difficulty in accessing and evacuating the victims, due to the narrow streets and alleys in the complex.
- A lack of information and support for the families of the victims, who had to wait for hours before receiving any updates or assistance.
Report recommends improvements and best practices for future incidents
The report also made several recommendations and best practices for improving the response and recovery efforts for future incidents. Some of them are:
- Establishing a unified command structure and a clear chain of command among different agencies.
- Developing a standard operating procedure and a checklist for responding to mass shootings and other critical incidents.
- Enhancing the training and equipment of trauma response teams and other first responders.
- Increasing the collaboration and coordination among different agencies and community partners, such as faith-based organizations, social service providers, and mental health professionals.
- Providing timely and accurate information and support to the victims, their families, and the community.
The report concluded that while the city agencies did their best to respond to the mass shooting, there were still areas that needed improvement and lessons that could be learned. It also praised the resilience and solidarity of the Brooklyn Homes community, which came together to support each other and demand justice.
