Good News: Coronavirus Slows Baltimore Murder Rate

Forget the closing of aquariums, bars, churches, cultural events, gyms, restaurants and zoos. There is some good news associated with coronavirus, which has prompted the cancellation of anything where 50 people or more may gather.

A murder in Baltimore over the weekend shut up the number of homicides to just five for the month so far. The city reported 26 murders each in January and February, according to the FBI. Charm City has averaged close to a homocide-a-day for two years.

So far this month, there have been just five, putting the city on pace for 10 murders this month, statistically speaking. The last time Baltimore had a murder total that low in a month was March 2014, when the city saw seven murders for the month, according to Baltimore’s local Fox News station.

Police found a 64-year-old man with gunshot wounds to his body Saturday night. The victim was taken to Shock Trauma where he was pronounced dead later.

Police also found a 30-year-old MTA bus driver with a gunshot wound to his chest Saturday night. The victim was taken to an area hospital and is in serious condition.

Investigating detectives have learned that while operating the bus, the victim got into a verbal dispute with a passenger. Police say the suspect requested to get off the bus but the victim let the suspect off at the next scheduled stop. The suspect then got off the bus, withdrew a firearm and shot the victim.