Additional Coverage:
- Baltimore residents reject narrative from city leaders about violent crime dropping: ‘Not going low’ (foxnews.com)
Baltimore Residents Voice Crime Concerns Despite Official Claims
Baltimore – While city officials maintain that crime rates are down, several Baltimore residents tell a different story. In interviews with Fox News Digital, many expressed anxieties about their safety and questioned the effectiveness of current crime-fighting strategies.
One Penn-North resident and young mother, Tasha, voiced her concerns while pushing her baby’s stroller. “There are so many things going on in Baltimore,” she shared.
“We need to understand why people are committing these crimes and figure out how to prevent them. What can the city offer?”
Tasha frankly stated she doesn’t feel safe, a sentiment echoed by others. She recalled a recent mass drug overdose incident and noted that open drug use and sales continue unabated in her neighborhood, despite a visible police presence.
Mayor Brandon Scott and Governor Wes Moore have publicly opposed former President Trump’s suggestion of deploying the National Guard to Baltimore, citing a 50-year low in the homicide rate and significant reductions in violent crime. They point to 91 homicides and 218 nonfatal shootings in 2025 as evidence of their success. However, research from Just Facts indicates that Baltimore’s 2024 murder rate remains alarmingly high, exceeding the national metropolitan average by a factor of 6.8.
Despite rejecting federal assistance, Scott and Moore recently announced the deployment of state law enforcement resources to Baltimore following a walk through the Park Heights neighborhood.
Meanwhile, residents like Joseph, who lives in Penn-North, feel crime is actually increasing. He described a neighborhood plagued by drug dealing, open drug use, and homelessness.
“Every time they say the crime’s going low, it’s not going low,” he stated. He expressed concern for the well-being of a homeless woman who sleeps on his stoop, offering her food and clothing but recognizing the limitations of his help.
“They’re killing our own people,” Joseph lamented, referring to drug-related violence.
Other residents shared similar experiences. George, from Bolton Hill, described persistent vandalism and late-night disturbances from local bars, complaining about a lack of police response. Anthony, a former 30-year resident who relocated to western Maryland, recounted witnessing a carjacking and subsequent chase that ultimately led him to leave the city.
While some residents, like Anette Lang, expressed confidence in Mayor Scott’s leadership, many others voiced skepticism. Local radio host Daren Muhammed, referring to Penn-North as “ground zero,” directly accused officials of manipulating crime statistics.