BLACK: 13-year-old black girl dies a week after East Baltimore shooting; police charge black man in killing

Arheel's Uncle

Senior Reporter

13-year-old dies a week after East Baltimore shooting; police charge man in killing​


By Jasmine Vaughn-Hall
Published on: November 15, 2022 at 7:29 pm EST
Updated on: November 16, 2022 at 8:29 am EST

Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison leads a press conference about 13-year-old Kelsey Washington, who was shot in the head while standing outside a liquor store on Nov. 7.
Washington died Nov. 14. (Cadence Quaranta/The Baltimore Banner)

A 13-year-old girl has died a week after she was shot in the head while standing in front of an East Baltimore liquor store, the Baltimore Police Department announced Tuesday evening. Police said they have arrested a 35-year-old man and charged him with first- and second-degree murder in the case.
The girl, who police identified in a news release as Kelsey Washington, was shot Nov. 7 at about 5:19 p.m. in the parking lot of Fayette Liquor Plus at the corner of East Fayette and North Caroline streets. Washington died Monday evening.

Police arrested Tavon Battle in Harford County on Tuesday and charged him in the death. The department said they identified Battle from video footage and still photos. Battle was waiting to appear before a court commissioner and attorney information was not immediately available Tuesday night.
Baltimore police said the investigation remains ongoing.
In a statement, Mayor Brandon Scott said he recently visited Washington’s family.

“My heart is broken over the loss of Kelsey. I asked that all of Baltimore join me in spreading love and light to her family and friends as they deal with such an unspeakable loss,” he said. “There are no words that can describe the pain I saw in Kelsey’s mother’s eyes as I visited with them.”
The mayor asked Baltimore to imagine losing a child to “senseless violence” and how it would affect a person and their family.

Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said an armed person shot into a car in the lot and hit the girl “who was standing outside, minding her own business.”

It did not appear the girl was the intended target, he said.
 
13-year-old Kelsey Washington

N Kelsey baltimore.png

Tavon Battle


Residents upset after 13-year-old girl killed in shooting

Police charging documents don't provide a motive behind a shooting in which a teenager was killed, and neighbors of the teenager said they are outraged by what they called the suspect's reckless behavior. "When you take a child from this world that hasn't had a chance to live a life, it destroys my soul that light shines through. Magnificent kids should never be perished," said Maureen Marable, of east Baltimore. Baltimore police on Tuesday night arrested Tavon Battle, 35, in connection with the Nov. 7 killing of Kelsey Washington, 13. Battle remains held without bail at Central Booking on first- and second-degree murder charges. Members of the Warrant Apprehension Task Force on Tuesday found Battle in Harford County.
 
Back
Top