Mervo High School student mortally wounded on campus shortly after layoffs; suspect quickly caught – Baltimore Sun

Mergenthaler Vocational High School student was fatally shot on campus in Baltimore on On Friday afternoon, less than 20 minutes after the dismissal, officials said.

Authorities quickly apprehended the suspect, a man student from another school in Baltimore City and seized a gun in in area.

“I didn’t think it was how I would be done with first a week of school,” Baltimore City Schools CEO Sonia Santelises said at news conference on Friday evening.

Baltimore City School Police officers were at the school when the shots rang out and were chasing the suspect, officials said. because of prompt police action, the suspect was apprehended within seconds of incident, Santelises said.

Sergeant Clyde Boatwright, President of Fraternal Order of Maryland of The police said in a written statement that the school police officers were armed and that they also seized the suspect’s weapon.

Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said that shortly before 3 p.m. Friday, a suspect approached the injured man. in parking behind school, and they got into a violent altercation before the suspect shot several rounds.

School police perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation on victim, who was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital and diagnosed dead soon after.

“This is an extremely tragic situation, more than tragic, happening on grounds of school in Start of school year” Harrison said.

Monday was first day of school for in cityx public pupils.

Nearby residents said they heard several shots and then saw the students running away from the rear. of school on Tivoli Avenue toward the nearest bus stop at Alameda and 35th Street.

“This is a tragedy that almost baffled me. for words,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott. who graduate of Mervo. “Everyone knows that this is my school.”

scott, who often advertises his connections with Mervaux, was at school on a schedule for 15:00, which was scheduled for play a home football game Friday afternoon. All extracurricular activities, including game, have been cancelled.

“When we have this loss of life in it’s way want us anything to think for a moment about what it means for our young people … children who still crying again because they lost another classmate,” Scott said.

There were other violent incidents. place in Mervo and in city schools over last years. Closer to the end of last school year Two of Mervo’s students were injured by a classmate during lunch.

Last March 18year- the old one was injured in shooting outside Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School in East Baltimore. In 2015 17-year-old student was mortally wounded by a classmate in Academy of the Renaissance and in 2008, 15th year-old was fatally shot at William H. Lemmel High School.

Shooting also happened in Parking at Catonsville High School in Baltimore County last February, wound 16-year-old student. Two other Catonsville high school students were charged.

Santelises said the counselors were available for students and school staff on-site in Mervo, and will remain on campus to provide grief support.

“We let them know it’s okay to be upset, it’s okay to have to talk people because it’s not okay for Any of us,” she said.

Grief and loss support will be available at the Weinberg Y Hotel in waverley at 900 East 33rd St. from 10:00 to 15:00 on Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 9:00 to 11:00, in accordance with post on Mervo’s Instagram account. Students and staff can also call Roberta’s house at 844-227-3478.

After speaking with Mervo staff, Baltimore Teachers Union President Daimonte Brown said they hope the conversations continue. on mental health services are coming forward. She said that faculty and staff need a little space that they are also injured and need recovery.

“Right now, of of course, it’s a really frustrating situation and a disappointment,” Brown said. “Our heart goes out families.”

Friday afternoon yellow police tape blocked traffic on Tivoli Avenue from behind of gymnasium, where officers and crime stage techniques were focused on a small parking.

The middle school dismisses students at 2:35 pm. online schedule in association with Baltimore Public Schools.

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high school football team was set accept Edmondson Westside High School at 3:45 p.m. Friday, according to online schedule. Mervo Mustangs won last yearclass 4A/3A championship status after wide receiver Elijah Gorham dies of head injury injury stable on field.

T. Johnson, who said he finished school in 1988 and not want his full name is used because of circumstances, waiting in his car near high school to go to football game against Edmondson Westside when he heard about the shooting.

“It’s embarrassing. It’s sad that this school has come to this,” Johnson said.

Johnson said the school was held in great respect as students had to apply to be accepted and the students were proud to go there.

“When I came here, you were afraid to get into fightand get hit out he said.

After the shooting, all students were fired from the school and extracurricular activities were cancelled. city school system.

Anyone information asked about the shooting call detectives at 410-396-2100. Anonymous tips can be sent to the Metro Crime Stoppers hint line at 1-866-7LOCK-UP.