New campaign by Maryland’s top federal prosecutor aims to curb gun violence impacting youth

BALTIMORE – In a one-on-one interview, Maryland’s U.S. attorney Erek Barron told WJZ his office is pushing to stop the violence impacting children and get the community involved.

“We have to be relentless about it. We have to be relentless, and we have to work as a team,” Barron said.

That includes a new public service announcement—a first from

Maryland’s top federal prosecutor—that debuted during the Ravens home opener on WJZ Sunday.

It highlights a young person dealing with the loss of a loved one and features Barron along with Baltimore City police. You can watch it here.

“We have to get the message out, and the purpose of this public service announcement in particular is to highlight the very real and significant collateral consequences of gun violence,” Barron said. “It has a huge impact on households, those we love, families, and it’s not something that you hear enough about.”

He acknowledged past efforts have focused on tougher federal sentences for offenders.

Hellgren asked Barron his message to young people. “There are so many people who want you to be successful, who want you to succeed, and you can, and we’re here to help you,” he said. 

Barron cited the work being done by Roca, a nonprofit that reaches out directly to young people.

WJZ profiled the grassroots organization earlier this year. 

Roca relies on intensive outreach with a caseload of around 250 people—the most at-risk youth in Baltimore City. Many of them are between the ages of 16 and 24.

It provides them with job training, a way to get their high school equivalency diplomas, even basic things like getting identification and safe shelter.

“Hurt people hurt people, and it starts oftentimes at a young age. Much of the population that we are trying to reach…are youth and young adults,” Barron said. “The more we can do to wrap our arms around young people, the better off we’ll be preventing them from being involved in violence either as a perpetrator or a victim.”

It is a challenge.

While overall homicides in Baltimore City are down 19 percent year-to-date—and shootings are down 10 percent—violence is having an outsize impact on juveniles. 

Recent incidents include a 12-year-old boy shot earlier this month sending people scrambling at the nearby Dunbar football game.

A 14-year-old girl was shot on Friday evening near Carver VoTech in West Baltimore.

“There aren’t words. There aren’t words,” said neighbor Kevin Dakin through tears. 

“I don’t have words, but you have my prayers.”

As of Monday morning, 196 people have been victims of homicide in Baltimore City. There have been 462 non-fatal shootings. 

Barron said the public service campaign has been months in the making and is an effort to get the entire community to pay attention. 

“All of us can have a role in ending gun violence, and all of us need to be working together for us to be successful. That’s law enforcement, community-based organizations and private citizens,” the U.S. Attorney said.

You can read more about his office’s efforts to curb gun violence here.