A 15-year-old boy is facing adult charges after Baltimore police say he and two other teens tried to carjack drivers in northeast Baltimore over the weekend, using what turned out to be a BB gun that looked like the real thing.
Officers were first alerted when someone flagged them down in the Daytona Avenue area, reporting that three teenagers had just tried to take a vehicle at gunpoint, according to WBAL-TV. A short time later, police were flagged down again near Towanda and Ridgewood for a similar attempted armed carjacking.
Police said in both cases the victims managed to get away without injury. Officers quickly found a group of teens nearby, and the suspects ran. One 15-year-old was caught and taken into custody, where police say they recovered a BB gun designed to resemble a handgun, WBAL-TV reported.
Detectives said the teen has been charged as an adult with multiple felony counts. Investigators are still working to identify the other teenagers who ran from the scene. Anyone with tips is asked to call Baltimore police at 410-366-6578 or contact Metro Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-866-7LOCKUP.
Legal implications
When a juvenile is charged as an adult in Maryland, the case moves out of the juvenile system and into adult criminal court, where penalties can be significantly tougher, and records are more likely to be public. State law allows a circuit court to consider a reverse waiver, which can send the case back to juvenile court. Judges weigh factors such as the defendant’s age, mental and physical condition, openness to treatment, the specifics of the alleged crime, and overall public safety, according to CaseMine.
Baltimore has been wrestling with a spike in youth-involved auto crimes in recent years. CBS Baltimore reported that youth carjackings were up about 233% as of November 2024, as officials pursued a mix of enforcement and prevention strategies alongside newly enacted juvenile justice reforms.
Prosecutors will decide whether to formally move forward with adult charges in this case. Detectives say they are reviewing any available video and following up on tips from the public as the investigation continues. This story will be updated as charging documents or court filings become available.
