12-Year-Old Girl Killed in Baltimore Park Shooting Over Parking Dispute, Police Say
BALTIMORE — A 12-year-old girl was fatally shot and three adults were wounded Saturday when gunfire broke out at a Baltimore park during what police described as an apparent dispute over a parking spot, officials said.
The shooting happened near Leon Day Park, where a youth football game was underway, according to a coach with the Charm City Buccaneers youth league.
Police Commissioner Richard Worley said investigators were searching for two gunmen and recovered two different gun cartridges at the scene, suggesting both men fired weapons.
“What we know is that there was some type of argument between two cowards, and of course they both opened fire on each other,” Worley said at a Saturday night news conference. “In the crossfire, a 12-year-old little girl, who was probably down there watching football, was shot and killed.”
Baltimore police said a 25-year-old woman and two men, ages 23 and 28, were also struck. The woman was with the girl, Worley said. The adult victims’ injuries were not considered life-threatening.
The commissioner said the altercation “most likely occurred from a stupid parking spot.”
Mayor Brandon M. Scott expressed disgust at the situation during the evening news conference, calling the shooters cowards.
“Two men, or so-called men, got into an argument, and now this baby is gone,” Scott said.
Mark Brown, a coach with the Charm City Buccaneers, told NBC affiliate WBAL-TV that the gunfire erupted in the middle of the game and that the violence involved people from outside the league.
“Some miscellaneous outsiders caused this situation,” Brown said at the scene. “It wasn’t us.”
He said the youth league has operated for 29 years without an incident like this, describing its mission as giving back to young people.
“This happened over a parking spot,” he added. “It was avoidable.”
The killing stunned families gathered for a weekend football game and underscored how quickly everyday disputes can turn deadly when guns are present. It also added to the toll of gun violence affecting children in Baltimore, a city that has long struggled with shootings.
The search for the two gunmen continued Saturday night, and police said the investigation remained active.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com.