Updated | It's been weeks since the protests and rioting in Baltimore tied to the death in police custody of Freddie Gray, but the city is plagued by increased violence. More than 40 shootings have been reported in Baltimore in that time, and the police department is investigating dozens of homicides.
Between April 25 and May 14 there were been 25 killings, just shy of Baltimore's deadliest month last year: 26 killings in January 2014, the local ABC affiliate found.
Over the weekend, that mark was eclipsed, as there were several more shootings. Four people were shot only hours ahead of the Preakness, one of the most important horse races of the year and an extremely popular event in Baltimore.
By the time the horses began running, Baltimore was up to 35 homicides in the last month by the Baltimore Sun's count, blowing past the top month last year. As of Monday morning, the count had risen once again: three shootings occurred overnight and two people were killed in broad daylight on Sunday.
Reached by phone, a public information officer with the Baltimore Police Department told Newsweek there had been 96 homicides since the beginning of this year. By this time in 2014, there were 69 homicides. Freddie Gray's death, for the record, is considered a homicide.
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