Curtis Bay residents are openly pleading for help after a late-January triple shooting and a wave of related arrests left the South Baltimore neighborhood jittery. People who live near Liberty Bay Apartments on Fairhaven Avenue say the streets where kids once played now feel quieter and tenser, and many parents say their children are spending more time indoors. With detectives making arrests and police summaries showing a localized jump in non-fatal shootings, neighbors are calling for both stepped-up patrols and more community services.
Arrests in the triple-shooting case
Police have arrested three people, including two teenagers, in connection with the Jan. 31 shooting that sent a 15-year-old and two men to area hospitals, according to WBAL. The Baltimore Police Department says officers were dispatched to the 3900 block of Fairhaven Avenue at about 11:04 a.m., and homicide detectives responded because of the severity of the juvenile's injuries, per a department media advisory.
Police summaries cited by local reporting show the Southern District has recorded 13 non-fatal shootings so far this year, compared with five at the same point last year, which is roughly a 160% increase. The Southeast District has eight incidents compared with one at the same point last year.
Investigators say a separate 15-year-old was arrested the day of the shooting on an ammunition charge. A 17-year-old was later taken into custody near Town View Drive on March 25 and charged with first-degree attempted murder, and detectives arrested 32-year-old Eric Pinkcett Jr. at a Burtonsville home; he also faces first-degree attempted murder charges.
Local spike runs counter to citywide trend
The concentrated increase in parts of South Baltimore contrasts with broader citywide gains. Reporting based on police data shows Baltimore recorded far fewer homicides and non-fatal shootings in 2025 than in recent years. The Washington Post reported the city recorded 133 homicides in 2025, the lowest annual total in decades. It noted that non-fatal shootings also declined, a trend officials have linked to targeted prevention and enforcement strategies.
Residents in Curtis Bay say the neighborhood-level numbers are what they feel every day, and that the recent arrests have not erased concerns about young people being exposed to violence.
Neighbors demand action
“What our kids see, then they’re repeating,” Curtis Bay resident Denise Segar told reporters as she urged adults to push back on that cycle, according to WBAL. Another neighbor called the recent arrests “a beautiful thing” because children should be able to play outside safely.
Residents also pointed to a March 25 lockdown at Sparrows Point Middle School and Sparrows Point High School after officers searched for a suspect as part of the broader unease. Earlier this year, Hoodline first covered the triple shooting and the immediate shock it caused in the neighborhood.
Police urge tips as investigations continue
The Baltimore Police Department has asked anyone with information about the Jan. 31 shooting to contact Southern District detectives at 410-396-2499, with anonymous tips accepted through Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP, per the department’s media advisory. Police say detectives are continuing to follow leads and that arrests and charging decisions are part of an active investigation. Community members say they want that investigative work paired with more youth services and visible patrols so families feel safer on the street.
