A 13-year-old boy was shot and killed in West Baltimore last night by a man who became enraged at a group of youths teasing his father, city homicide detectives said.
The incident was one of four fatal shootings in Baltimore yesterday -- one of the deadliest days in the city this year. And homicide detectives were called to the scene of a fifth serious shooting early today.
Police said the boy -- identified as Rubin Lawson -- was shot in the torso by William Cecil Brandon Jr., 49, who had been visiting at his father's home in the first block of North Smallwood Street.
Witnesses reported that they saw Mr. Brandon become furious at Rubin and his friends after they rang the doorbell numerous times and taunted his father through the window, police said.
Detective Gary Dunnigan said Mr. Brandon ran out of the house with a handgun, grabbed the boy, pressed the gun against his body and fired.
Mr. Brandon was last seen running down an alley near Pulaski Street, dressed in the pinstripe suit that he was wearing especially for a Sunday visit with his father, Detective Dunnigan said. The suspect, who lives in the 600 block of Brice Street, was charged in a warrant with first-degree murder and was still being sought late last night.
"The kids were apparently messing with the old guy, and the son didn't like it too much," Detective Dunnigan said.
"As to what exactly they had been doing, we're not sure, but some people in the neighborhood said they kept ringing his doorbell."
The boy was pronounced dead at the Maryland Shock Trauma Center.
Residents of the neighborhood said they heard children playing in the street just before gunshots rang out about 8 p.m.
One woman said she saw the victim lying on the street outside her window and called 911.
"It was awful. I couldn't imagine what he had done," she said.
Police were questioning one youth and searching for two others XTC who were playing in the neighborhood. Some residents told police they saw Mr. Brandon yell at the children, and that they refused to go away.
The shooting victim lived in the 900 block of Edmondson Avenue, but his grandmother lives in the 2100 block of West Fayette Street about a block from the shooting scene, police said.
About 6 p.m., another fatal shooting occurred less than half a mile away in the 1700 block of West Fayette Street.
Police said Albert O. Munson, 32, was shot in front of his home and was dead at the scene.
In East Baltimore about 2:50 a.m., Preston Darnell Key, 21, was gunned down in the 900 block of North Wolfe Street.
The victim, who lived in the 400 block of North Madeira Street, died later at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Yesterday's fourth fatal shooting occurred about 10:15 p.m. at Park Circle. The victim, an identified man, was pronounced dead at Sinai Hospital.
The latest shooting occurred about 12:30 a.m. today in the 2500 block of Edmondson Avenue.
The victim was taken to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center, authorities said.
No details were immediately available.