Executive Summary
- Baltimore police conducted pre-dawn raids Wednesday morning as part of an investigation into a July mass overdose event.
- The overdoses, which occurred in the Penn North neighborhood, sickened more than 30 people.
- Officials have confirmed the enforcement actions but have not yet announced any formal charges in the case.
- One individual targeted in the raids reportedly has a prior history of drug-related offenses.
Baltimore police executed several pre-dawn raids on Wednesday as part of an ongoing investigation into a mass drug overdose event in the city’s Penn North neighborhood that sickened more than 30 people in July. While law enforcement has confirmed the enforcement actions, officials have remained guarded about the specific details, and no formal charges have been announced.
Video footage captured officers on North Carey Street in the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood demanding a suspect exit a residence. “This is the Baltimore Police Department. We have a search warrant for the location. Come to the front door with your hands up,” an officer announced via loudspeaker shortly after 4 a.m. The location of this raid is a few blocks from Penn North.
In a statement, the Baltimore Police Department confirmed the raids were part of the continuing investigation but provided no further information. City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates also declined to comment on the specifics of the case. “At this moment in time, I don’t have any comment on that,” Bates said at a news conference. “I think at the appropriate time, we’ll go ahead and be able to talk about other issues, other cases, potential cases.”
According to The Baltimore Banner, the enforcement action also included a raid on a residential building on Eutaw Street and resulted in arrests. Court records indicate that one individual sought by police at the North Carey Street address has a prior criminal history, including convictions for drug possession and distribution.
Vows to Pursue Justice
Following the July overdose incident, city officials pledged to hold the responsible parties accountable. “When we find the people, not an if, when we find the people responsible, they will be removed from the streets of Baltimore,” Mayor Brandon Scott stated on July 18. While no fatalities were reported in the Penn North event, state data shows that 536 people have died from overdoses in Baltimore City over the past 12 months. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.