12-year-old girl killed in Baltimore park shooting during youth football game

A dispute between two men over a parking space escalated into gunfire at Leon Day Park, where families had gathered for a youth football event.

A 12-year-old girl was killed Saturday evening after gunfire erupted at a Baltimore park where a youth football game was underway, police said. Three other adults were initially reported wounded, with a fourth adult later seeking treatment for a graze wound.

Officers responded to Leon Day Park around 6:15 p.m. after reports of gunfire, according to Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley. They found the girl and a 25-year-old woman suffering from gunshot wounds. Both were taken to area hospitals, where the girl later died.

Two men, ages 23 and 28, also went to hospitals for treatment of gunshot wounds. Their injuries were not considered life-threatening, according to police. A 35-year-old woman later went to a hospital with a graze wound to her back and was also reported to be in stable condition.

Police said the shooting appears to have started with an argument between two men over a parking space. The men then exchanged gunfire, striking the 12-year-old girl and the 25-year-old woman, Worley said.

The girl was not believed to be the intended target.

“What we know is there was some type of argument between two cowards,” Worley said during a news conference. “They both opened fire on each other.”

The shooting happened as a youth football event was taking place at the park, turning what should have been a gathering for young athletes and their families into a crime scene.

Local reports said the Charm City Buccaneers youth football league was holding a homecoming event at Leon Day Park when the shooting occurred. Witnesses told WBAL that the game was underway when the gunfire broke out.

For families who regularly gather at community parks for youth sports, the circumstances are especially difficult to process. The violence was not reported to have stemmed from an altercation involving the children or the football game itself. Police said the apparent dispute between the two men preceded the shooting.

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott addressed the shooting during the news conference, emphasizing the age of the girl who lost her life.

“Two grown men got into an argument, and now a 12-year-old is gone,” Scott said. “We never should have to say something like that.”

View on Threads

Police were continuing to process the large park area Sunday as investigators worked to determine exactly what happened and how many shots were fired. Authorities said they were looking for at least two suspects. No arrests had been announced in the initial reporting.

The investigation comes as Baltimore continues to grapple with gun violence that can affect people who are not involved in the conflicts that lead to shootings. In this case, police said the young girl was simply in the area when two adults began firing at one another.

Authorities are asking anyone who witnessed the shooting or has information about the people involved to contact Baltimore homicide detectives at 410-396-2100. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Metro Crime Stoppers.

Police have not publicly identified the 12-year-old girl as of Sunday. Her death remains under investigation.