Baltimore police arrested a 15-year-old boy Thursday morning in connection with last week’s killing of Timothy Reynolds, who was fatally shot after he wielded a baseball bat while confronting a group of squeegee workers.
The suspect was arrested at an Essex home just after 6:30 a.m.
According to police, Reynolds was shot and killed July 7 following a confrontation between himself and squeegee workers near the intersection of Light and Conway streets.
The teenage suspect and his father were taken to police headquarters for questioning before the suspect was charged as an adult for 1st-degree murder.
“Today’s arrest in the July 7 homicide at Pratt and Conway Streets is another sad reminder that guns are too easily accessible to our young people,” Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said in a statement after the suspect’s arrest.
“We all need to continue to work together to address the root causes of violence and to provide resources and alternatives to these young people.”
Thursday afternoon, Mayor Brandon Scott held a press conference to address solutions to the controversy surrounding squeegee workers.
During the press conference, Scott announced that he would be holding meetings to address how the Baltimore community can help squeegee workers succeed outside of street corners.
Scott said he would convene a meeting Thursday among community and business leaders, government officials, and Baltimore residents who have experienced life as squeegee workers to discuss how to “make streets safer.”
The meeting was slated to include discussion of opportunities that can be provided to young boys and men who turn to squeegee work; programs for promoting jobs to squeegee workers; and support services.
Scott stressed that the onus of progress will not be solely on Baltimore’s institutional structures, but also on the community and business leaders in attendance at the meeting. He added that the conversations will be important even when they may rouse “uncomfortable” feelings.
“Being uncomfortable is necessary in order for us to come out of the other side of this,” Scott said.
Throughout his press conference, Scott highlighted intersections of class and race in the squeegee worker conversation, referencing his own adolescence and experiences with racial profiling.
Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said he was unable to comment on several details of the shooting during the ongoing investigation.
When asked what grounds the suspect was arrested and charged on, Harrison said the Baltimore Police Department had “probable cause.” Harrison also said the BPD is not in possession of the charging documents, but the warrant for the suspect’s arrest is included within them.
Scott noted that controversy surrounding squeegee workers is nothing new.
In 1985, former Baltimore Mayor Donald Schafer called off a Baltimore City Council bill that would prohibit squeegee work.
The Baltimore History Channel YouTube page posted a video last week of news footage from 1984 and 1985, with city officials and residents discussing squeegee workers.
“This issue has been in Baltimore for decades,” Scott said.
Squeegee issues press conference/The Baltimore Sun: Baltimore Sun reporters Emily Opilo and Jean Marbella reported that Mayor Brandon Scott will hold a press conference Thursday at 1:30 pm to address the arrest and solutions for the city’s “squeegee issues.”
Mayor Scott against “cleaning corners”/Fox45 News: Amy Simpson for Fox45 News reports that amid the controversy surrounding squeegee workers, Scott is adamantly against “cleaning corners” by arresting squeegee workers. City Councilman Zeke Cohen also said arresting squeegee kids is not the answer.
Dashcam footage/The Baltimore Banner: The Baltimore Banner’s Justin Fenton reported that a witness’s dashcam footage shows Reynolds briefly walk away from the confrontation before running at squeegee workers with a baseball bat.
Mayor Scott again saying that we have to do better. When was the last time the Mayor held a TV news conference that was open forum, taking any questions? Not just him on TV appearing at a crime scene or commenting on it later, saying we have to do better? Now he appoints a new Deputy Police Commissioner for Safety or whatever he is called? The City hired a CITY MANAGER over a year ago. What exactly does this City Manager do?
Is he doing anything about the BACK RIVER WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANT that the State of Maryland had to take over because it was not being run right even after many millions of dollars in upgrades had been spent.
Baltimore has always had crime. But the city’s infrastructure is falling apart. Abandoned homes? Who are the owners? A real City Manager could probably help Baltimore, at less make a plan. Not just say “we have to do better”
Thanks for your comment, Steve. Learn more about what the city manager is up to in our recent interview with him: https://baltimore-fishbowl-newspack.newspackstaging.com/stories/big-fish-behind-the-scenes-with-chris-shorter-baltimore-city-administrator/