Classes were just about to start yesterday morning when a Digital Harbor High School student was held up at gunpoint after stepping off a city bus near East Cross Street and Battery Avenue, according to police. The robbery is the latest in a stretch of incidents that parents and staff say have targeted students heading to and from the South Baltimore campus in recent weeks, leaving many families on edge about the daily trip to school.
What Happened
Baltimore police told Fox Baltimore that yesterday morning, a masked man approached the student, showed a gun, and demanded the student’s cellphone. The station also reported that on Feb. 11, near the Maryland Science Center, a gunman took a student’s phone while two other suspects grabbed the student’s backpack, and that another student was robbed at the same location the very next day. Investigators say most of the recent robberies have involved weapons, but that no students have suffered physical injuries so far.
Commuting Safety At Risk
The run of bus-stop robberies mirrors a wider problem for Baltimore students who rely on public transit to get to class. A months-long investigation found hundreds of violent incidents during school commuting hours across the city. An analysis by The Baltimore Banner shows that student transfer hubs and downtown stops have repeatedly been hotspots for robberies and assaults, a strain that researchers say can push kids out of school altogether or keep them from staying for after-school activities. Parents and advocates argue the pattern shows a need for targeted patrols and clearer, public transit safety plans tailored to student routes.
Parents Demand Answers
Outside Digital Harbor, parents said they are tired of finding out about incidents after the fact and want quicker, more detailed explanations of what school and city officials are doing to protect students. "I fear for my child's life," one parent told Fox Baltimore, a sentiment that other families in the neighborhood echoed. Many parents say it does not matter whether a robbery happens a few blocks away or just around the corner from campus. The bottom line for them is the same: they want the district and police to step up safety so kids can get to school without looking over their shoulders.
Police And School Response
Local authorities say detectives are actively working the cases and have increased patrols around school grounds and parking lots this month. Southern District leaders have posted about multiple robberies in the Digital Harbor area, according to WMAR2 News, which also detailed recent carjackings and muggings reported near the school’s promenade. Baltimore City Public Schools did not immediately issue a detailed public notice about the Feb. 24 incident on its website; the district’s online materials instead highlight general safety resources and programs that officials say are meant to protect students on and around school property.
Legal Status
Police have identified 20-year-old Laemal Kent as one of the suspects in the Feb. 11 robbery and, according to police reports, a warrant has been issued for his arrest. Investigators say they are still following leads tied to the broader pattern of incidents. So far, it remains unclear whether prosecutors have filed formal charges connected to the recent string of robberies.
Anyone with information about the robberies is asked to contact Baltimore City police or call 911 in an emergency. Parents say they plan to keep pushing district leaders and police commanders for answers and updates as the investigation moves forward.
