Frustrations continue to build in the community after the attack of a 66-year-old man was caught on surveillance video and a teen suspect was released to his parents.

Bernie, 66, did not want to share his last name out of concern for his privacy; he was coming home to his Butcher’s Hill neighborhood on the edge of Patterson Park on Sept. 26, 2024, just after 10 p.m. when he said he was attacked and robbed by a group of young people. He was tossed onto the ground, where surveillance video shows a group of young people kick him and stomp on his head.

“I actually didn’t hear anything. They were very, very quiet. Almost like they snuck up on me. But I could feel their presence. They didn’t say anything but when I saw them, they had ski masks on,” Bernie recalled.

“In my mind, I knew what was coming next, so I started to run, and they started to chase me. As I was running, I was yelling ‘help, help I’m being robbed.’ He pulled the gun out and he stuck the gun in my face, and I said, ‘what do you want?’ He said, ‘I want everything.’” Bernie said.

He said there were five suspects who attacked him. Baltimore Police were able to track down and arrest two of them: Montaz Bailey, 18, and an unidentified 15-year-old male. The 15-year-old suspect was taken to the Baltimore City Juvenile Justice Center “to request a review for detention,” according to BPD, but he was released to a guardian. The 15-year-old and Bailey have prior arrests, according to BPD.

After reviewing the video and evidence, Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates authorized an attempted first-degree murder charge to be filed against Bailey.

Mayor Brandon Scott issued a statement Friday afternoon about the attack on Bernie and said he’s frustrated with the apparent problem of repeat young offenders getting picked up and released.

“Time and time again, we’re frustrated by this pattern of repeatedly needing to arrest the same young people who have not received the accountability necessary from other parts of the justice system,” Mayor Scott said via statement Friday.

Monday, he doubled down on that stance but would not call for the Department of Juvenile Services Secretary Vincent Schiraldi to be replaced.

“Well, that’s not up to me to decide, he doesn’t work for me. I’m not going to comment on someone else’s executives, but what I will say is that we cannot continue to see these kinds of things,” he said. “These are things I’ve expressed to our partners in the state.”

While it’s important to ensure services are offered and provided to young people and their families, Mayor Scott said, he added that there needs to be consequences and accountability for their actions.

“What I will say is what I will say to anybody, including my friend the governor: What I want is to make sure to have a system that is working [toward] improvement,” Mayor Scott added.

Meanwhile, calls from community leaders for Secretary Schiraldi to resign are growing. Arch McKown, a community leader in Southeast Baltimore, repeatedly told FOX45 News he wants to see Secretary Schiraldi replaced.

“Governor Moore needs to fire Vincent Schiraldi. Plain and simple. We’re doing a lot of talk but there’s no action,” McKown said. “The result is that they are failing, and this is under Gov. Wes Moore and under his slogan is, no one left behind.”

The Randallstown NAACP Branch President Ryan Coleman issued a statement following the Butcher’s Hill attack as well, calling for young offenders who are accused of committing a violent crime to be detained after the first offense, pending adjudication.

“Everyone has their constitutional rights: older people should be able to walk the streets, Jewish people should be able to walk the streets, women should be able to walk the streets,” Coleman said. “They should not be victimized by juveniles who continue to do this kind of behavior.”

We just believe they should be held after the first offense. They should be held but then they should get the resources they need to help them, Coleman added.

The General Assembly should launch an investigation into the effectiveness of DJS, Coleman said, and, “if Secretary Schiraldi is unable to commit and to ensure that children that are committing violent offenses are not going to be held, then maybe he should …step aside.”

Monday, FOX45 News sent questions to Gov. Wes Moore regarding the incident and asked if he stands by DJS Secretary Schiraldi to lead the department. FOX45 News also asked Gov. Moore if he believes the polices surrounding intake decisions and detaining suspects should change. A response was not immediately received.

Bailey’s bail review hearing was postponed Monday, and he’s expected to appear in court Tuesday.

According to the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, DJS did not refer the 15-year-old to their office for review, instead, DJS “made their detention decision when the youth was brought to juvenile booking and released to his parents.” The only notice the Baltimore SAO received was an email indicated the teen had been released to a parent, according to an SAO spokesperson.

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