Two dead and 28 injured in 'reckless' Baltimore mass shooting as gunman remains at large

2 July 2023, 10:32 | Updated: 2 July 2023, 12:58

At least two people have died after a gunman opened fire at an event in Baltimore, Maryland, police have confirmed.

The Baltimore Police Department were called to the "mass shooting incident" in the Brooklyn Homes section of South Baltimore, as they confirmed 28 people had been wounded - three critically.

During a press conference held a few hours after the incident, officers confirmed at least two people had lost their lives after a gunman opened fire.

Nine people were taken to hospital for treatment, with three victims remaining in critical condition, police confirmed.

Police added the gunman or gunmen remain at large, with no motive yet established.

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Witnesses said hundreds of people had been gathered to celebrate an event called “Brooklyn Day”.

A large police and emergency medical response presence could be seen in the area, after emergency serviced received multiple calls shortly after 12:30am local time.

Officers arrived to find one woman dead and another nine people suffering from gunshot wounds, police confirmed.

'We located one female adult deceased on the scene and nine additional victims were transported from the location to area hospitals," Baltimore Police Acting Commissioner Richard Worley said during a press conference held a few hours after the shooting.

"Additionally, we had 20 other victims walk into hospitals throughout the region.

"Our detectives are currently working an extensive crime scene. The two deceased victims we have are both adults," he said, adding: "Our hearts and prayers are going out to the families and friends of the victims, as well as the community and our entire city".

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According to Baltimore Police Acting Commissioner Richard Worley, investigators are “working an extensive crime scene”.

He said the tragedy “highlights the impacts and the need to deal with the overproliferation of illegal guns on our streets and the ability for those who should not have them to get their hands on them.”

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott described the incident as a “reckless, cowardly act that happened here and that has permanently altered many lives and cost two people their lives.”

Taking to Twitter shortly after the incident, the department said: "BPD is on scene of a [mass] shooting incident in the 800 blk of Gretna Court in our Southern District".

Mayor Scott and police officials urged anyone with information to come forward.

Speaking to the perpetrator, Mr Scott added: “we will not stop until we find you—and we will find you.”

“Until then, I hope with every single breath that you take that you think about the lives that you took and you think about the lives that you impacted here tonight,” he added.

Videos and pictures from the scenes show the area surrounding the residential block littered with broken glass, empty alcohol cans and police tape strewn across the cordoned off street.

It's the latest mass shooting to take place in the US, coming just weeks after a rising sports star died at teenager's 16th birthday party in the city of Dadeville, in Tallapoosa County.

28 people were also injured in the gun attack, where a number were taken to hospital in a critical condition.