Rioters plunged part of Baltimore into chaos Monday, torching a pharmacy, setting police cars ablaze and slicing a fire hose hours after thousands mourned the man who died from a severe spinal injury he suffered in police custody.
The governor declared a state of emergency and called in the National Guard to restore order, ordering up to 5,000 troops to the city.
Schools were canceled for Tuesday and a week-long, daily curfew was imposed beginning Tuesday from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., the mayor said.
At least 15 officers were hurt, including one that was unresponsive, and some two dozen people were arrested. Two officers remained hospitalized and several suffered broken bones, police said.
Monday afternoon, the Mayor of Baltimore called the rioters ‘thugs.’
“Too many people have invested in building up this city to allow thugs to tear it down,” wrote Stephanie Rawlings-Blake on Twitter.
Late Monday, a rioter was caught on video cutting open a fire hose, which was being used to save a burning CVS building.
Officers wearing helmets and wielding shields occasionally used pepper spray to keep the rioters back. For the most part, though, they relied on line formations to keep protesters at bay.
Monday’s riot was the latest flare-up over the mysterious death of Freddie Gray, whose fatal encounter with officers came amid the national debate over police use of force, especially when black suspects are involved. Gray was African-American. Police have declined to specify the races of the six officers involved in his arrest, all of whom have been suspended with pay while they are under investigation.
Emergency officials were constantly thwarted as they tried to restore calm. Firefighters trying to put out a blaze at a CVS store were hindered by someone who sliced holes in a hose connected to a fire hydrant, spraying water all over the street and nearby buildings.
The smell of burned rubber wafted in the air in one neighborhood where youths were looting a liquor store. Police stood still nearby as people drank looted alcohol. Glass and trash littered the streets, and small fires were scattered about. One person from a church tried to shout something from a megaphone as two cars burned.
“Too many people have spent generations building up this city for it to be destroyed by thugs, who in a very senseless way, are trying to tear down what so many have fought for, tearing down businesses, tearing down and destroying property, things that we know will impact our community for years,” said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, a lifelong resident of the city.
Gray’s family was shocked by the violence and was lying low; instead, they hoped to organize a peace march later in the week, said family attorney Billy Murphy. He said they did not know the riot was going to happen and urged calm.
“They don’t want this movement nationally to be marred by violence,” he said. “It makes no sense.”
Police urged parents to locate their children and bring them home. Many of those on the streets appeared to be African-American youths, wearing backpacks and khaki pants that are a part of many public school uniforms.
The riot broke out just as high school let out, and at a key city bus depot for student commuters around Mondawmin Mall, a shopping area northwest of downtown Baltimore. It shifted about a mile away later to the heart of an older shopping district and near where Gray first encountered police. Both commercial areas are in African-American neighborhoods.
Later in the day, people began looting clothing and other items from stores at the mall, which became unprotected as police moved away from the area. About three dozen officers returned, trying to arrest looters but driving many away by firing pellet guns and rubber bullets.
Downtown Baltimore, the Inner Harbor tourist attractions and the city’s baseball and football stadiums are nearly 4 miles away. While the violence had not yet reached City Hall and the Camden Yards area, the Orioles canceled Monday’s game for safety precautions.
Many who had never met Gray gathered earlier in the day in a Baltimore church to bid him farewell and press for more accountability among law enforcement.
Previous story
Rioters looted stores and hurled rocks and bricks at Baltimore police Monday, injuring several officers just hours after thousands mourned the man who died after suffering a severe spinal injury in police custody.
Seven officers were hurt. Some had broken bones, and one was unresponsive, said Capt. Eric Kowalczyk. Television footage showed a police cruiser in flames and a CVS drug store being overrun. Officers using shields and wearing helmets used pepper-spray in an effort to keep the rioters back.
A helicopter circled overhead as groups of rioters moved through the city. One group piled onto and rode a car as it drove down the street.
Monday’s riot was the latest flare-up over the mysterious death of Freddie Gray, whose fatal encounter with officers came amid the national debate over police use of force. Tensions have escalated in the days since in a city with a history of friction between police and the communities they serve.
There have been near-daily protests since Gray’s death. On Saturday, a small group threw cans and plastic bottles in the direction of police officers. One protester broke out the window of a police cruiser, grabbed a police hat inside and wore it while standing on top of the cruiser with several other protesters.
5:15 p.m. Monday
Groups of youths are looting a convenience store near downtown Baltimore.
They busted out the window of the closed businesses, and piled in. Police in riot gear began forming a line nearby.
A helicopter circled overhead as groups of roving youths moved through the city. Television footage showed one group of demonstrators pile on top of and ride a car as it drove in the street.
The riot happened just hours after Freddie Gray’s funeral. Gray suffered a mysterious spinal injury while in police custody.
___
5 p.m.
A drug store is being looted in Baltimore as police and a large group of people violently clash.
Television images show a CVS being overrun and people running out with items. Police have not responded yet.
The rioters have been throwing rocks, bricks and other items at police, injuring at least seven of them. A police car was set on fire.
The clash began just hours after the funeral of Freddie Gray, who died while in police custody.
4:45 p.m.
Police say at least seven officers have been injured in a violent clash with a large group of youths.
Capt. Eric Kowalczyk (koh-wall-check) said one officer is unresponsive and others have broken bones after people threw bricks, rocks and other items at police.
The riot occurred just hours after a funeral for Freddie Gray, who died of a mysterious spinal injury while he was in police custody.
The clash started near the Mondawmin Mall and spread out over a wide area as a line of police officers pushed them back.
In a series of Tweets, police said they are hearing reports of groups setting fires around the area. Earlier, a photographer was shoved and kicked in the back.
At one point, a police car was surrounded and destroyed by people jumping on it. As officers arrived, one person was taken into custody.
___
4:15 p.m.
Hundreds of youths outside a mall in northwest Baltimore are clashing violently with police in riot gear, throwing rocks, bricks and bottles at the officers.
Baltimore police say on Twitter that several officers have been injured. Officers are using pepper-spray to keep the protesters back.
A flier circulated on social media called for a period of violence Monday afternoon to begin at the Mondawmin Mall and move downtown toward City Hall.
Earlier in the day, thousands gathered for Freddie Gray’s funeral. Gray died of an unexplained spinal injury while in police custody.
Outside the mall, a young person threw a flaming trash can at the line of officers, igniting a patch of grass nearby.
Police said at least one officer was injured after being hit by a flying brick.
___
4 p.m.
People are throwing rocks and bricks at police in riot gear near a Baltimore mall.
Dozens of people were throwing objects at police, just hours after the funeral for Freddie Gray.
Gray died of a mysterious spinal injury while in police custody. Baltimore police say on Twitter that a few officers have been hurt in the chaos.
Officers are advancing on the crowd, and at times retreating when the objects are thrown.
___
3:30 p.m.
Numerous police officers in riot gear have responded to a mall in northwest Baltimore and the mall is closed.
Images broadcast by WJZ-TV show a line of officers with helmets and face shields blocking off the mall’s parking lot. Some people were throwing objects at officers and a police armored vehicle.
It’s not immediately clear if the response was related to a Freddie Gray protest. One man held his arms up as the police moved toward him, an action that has been repeated throughout the Gray rallies.
Gray died of an unexplained spinal injury he suffered in police custody.
___
2 p.m.
The University of Maryland campus in downtown Baltimore shut down its campus at 2 p.m., saying it has been warned by the Baltimore Police Department that “activities” in the area may turn violent.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether the activities had anything to do with Freddie Gray, who died of a spinal injury while in police custody. Demonstrators angry over Gray’s death have become violent at times.
In an alert to students and staff, the university says “the safety of our students and employees is of paramount importance. Please vacate the campus as soon as possible.”
School spokesman Alex Likowski said he didn’t know what type of activity might be passing through campus or what prompted the warning from police.
The university’s main campus is in College Park, about 30 miles south of Baltimore.
___
1:45 p.m.
The funeral for Freddie Gray has ended after a service of nearly two hours.
The dignitaries attending included long-time activist Dick Gregory, former Maryland representative and NAACP leader Kweisi Mfume and current Maryland Rep. John Sarbanes.
The casket was rolled out of the church with the family following behind. Within minutes, the entire church was empty, leaving the musicians to play a rousing processional.
As people left, there was an image of Gray projected on the screens flanking the altar. It showed him wearing a striped polo shirt, baseball cap, pants and sneakers. The front of the program read, “Loving Memory, Freddie Carlos Gray Jr.”
Gray died of a mysterious spinal injury he suffered while in police custody.
___
The NAACP says it’s opening a satellite office in Freddie Gray’s Baltimore neighborhood, known as Sandtown.
In a statement on the organization’s Facebook page, the NAACP said its police reform action in Baltimore dates back to the 1980s, and has involved targeting racial profiling cases. The NAACP said it also filed legal action involving traffic stops targeting black people and another one involving a high rate of incarceration of black people in the city.
Gray, who is black, died of an unexplained injury he suffered in police custody.
The satellite office in Gray’s neighborhood will include legal support from the national office, the NAACP said.
It’s unclear when the office will open.
___
12:40 p.m.
Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings is speaking at the funeral for Freddie Gray.
Cummings looked at the multitude of cameras along the rail of the balcony at New Shiloh Baptist Church and said: “I ain’t seen this many cameras in a long time.”
Gray died of a mysterious spinal injury while he was in police custody.
The congressman mentioned his own nephew, who was gunned down several years ago in Norfolk, Virginia. He said an assailant has never been tracked down and arrested.
“We will not rest until we address this and see that justice is done,” he said of the Gray case. “And so, this is our watch. We will not fail you.”
___
12:30 p.m.
The Rev. Al Sharpton says he plans to meet with activists and faith leaders in Baltimore to schedule a two-day march from Baltimore to Washington in May.
He says the march will aim to bring the cases of Freddie Gray, Eric Garner, Walter Scott and Eric Harris to the attention of new Attorney General Loretta Lynch.
In a statement Monday before Gray’s funeral, Sharpton says he had been resisting getting personally involved because he wanted to wait until he saw what the police department’s investigation found. But now he says since the department’s report may not be released publicly, he has decided to travel to Baltimore.
Police have said the department would release its report to the State’s Attorney’s office on Friday and send out updates when new information is available.
Gray died of an unexplained spinal injury while in police custody.
___
12:20 p.m.
The attorney for Freddie Gray’s family has received a standing ovation during Gray’s funeral.
Billy Murphy called on the six officers suspended during the investigation into Gray’s death to come forward and tell the story “just like we tell our citizens to do.”
“This is our moment to get at truth. This is our moment to get it right,” he said.
Gray died of an unexplained spinal injury he suffered while in police custody. Five of the six officers have given their statements to investigators.
Murphy asked for prayers for Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, “who is struggling mightily with this,” a statement that brought more applause.
___
12:10 p.m.
Baltimore police say the department believes three notoriously violent gangs are now working together to “take out” law enforcement officers.
In a statement Monday, the department called it a “credible threat” and said members of the Black Guerilla Family, the Bloods and the Crips have formed a partnership against the police.
The department warned other law enforcement agencies to “take appropriate precautions.”
The police statement came as mourners gathered for the funeral of Freddie Gray, who died of a mysterious spinal injury while in police custody.
Police spokesman Capt. Eric Kowalczyk would not say whether the threat is related to the death of Gray. Kowalczyk said the threat announcement has been circulated to law enforcement agencies nationwide.
Earlier this year, Baltimore police said the Black Guerilla Family sent a man into the Northeastern District station house with marijuana, cocaine and a loaded gun to test the station’s security.
___
12 p.m.
The daughter of Eric Garner, who died of a chokehold in the custody of New York City police, is at the funeral of Freddie Gray.
Gray suffered critical spinal injuries while he was in Baltimore police custody.
Erica Garner, 24, says she came Monday because watching the video of Gray crying out when he was arrested reminded her of the crying and agony that her father went through.
“My father was yelling out, ‘I can’t breathe and (Gray) was yelling out – he didn’t have any words but he was just hurt,” she said.
She says she hasn’t met Gray’s family, but would tell them: “I feel your pain. I know what you’re going through. Stay strong and continue to fight.”
Garner died last July after police placed him in a chokehold on a Staten Island street.
___
11:45 a.m.
The funeral for Freddie Gray has started with songs and prayer.
Gray died after suffering a critical spinal injury while he was in police custody. His death has prompted marches and rallies for the more than a week.
The church, which has a capacity of 2,500, is full of mourners.
Just before the start of the service, members of the Gray family gathered in front of the casket for a second time. Gloria Darden, Gray’s mother, sat down, and someone handed her a box of tissues.
The casket is closed and a wreath of white roses is on top of it.
___
11:15 a.m.
Mourners are filing into New Shiloh Baptist Church to view the body of Freddie Gray, who suffered a critical spinal injury while in Baltimore police custody.
The single-file line of people passing by Gray’s body is now two-wide. One man attempted to touch Gray, but a woman grabbed his hand and pulled it away.
A few sobs can be heard in the church, which is nearly filled to its 2,500-person capacity.
The church choir, accompanied by an organ, electric piano, guitar and drums has begun singing and playing. Some of the audience is clapping, joining in the singing, and shouting in response.
Gray died April 19, a week after his arrest. Police are investigating his death.
___
10:50 a.m.
A U.S. diplomat opened her speech on Iranian nuclear negotiations talking about how she grew up going to civil rights marches and says her father once helped baseball star Frank Robinson find a home in an all-white neighborhood of Baltimore.
The recent case of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man who died after sustaining serious injuries while in the custody of Baltimore police, has intensified a national debate over police treatment of African-Americans.
Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman spoke Monday at the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism conference on equality and civil rights in Washington.
She says that years ago, her father went house to house to convince homeowners in Baltimore not to flee, saying that Robinson shared their desire for good schools and a safe neighborhood.
___
10:30 a.m.
Members of Freddie Gray’s family are among the last group of mourners filing into the church before the man’s funeral in Baltimore.
A woman from the family group who was first to reach the casket on Monday sobbed and dropped to her knees. She straightened out the tie on Gray’s body before she was led to the front-row pew. Other mourners approached her to offer condolences through handshakes and hugs. Local media outlets identified the woman as Gray’s mother, Gloria Darden.
Another woman followed, and she was led away to a pew as she began crying.
Gray died after suffering serious spinal injuries while in the custody of Baltimore police. Thousands are expected at his funeral. About a half-hour before the service was scheduled to begin, the church was about half full, and announcements were made asking mourners to file past the casket to accommodate the people lining up outside.
___
9:45 a.m.
More mourners are filing into the sanctuary for the funeral of Freddie Gray, who died after suffering serious spinal injuries while in the custody of Baltimore police.
Shortly after the casket was opened Monday morning, people began to pour in to view Gray’s body New Shiloh Baptist Church in Baltimore. A rope was placed in front of the casket to prevent mourners from getting too close.
One of the early mourners used a cellphone to take a picture of Gray’s body.
Services were scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Thousands of people are expected. A cemetery burial is to follow the funeral.
___
9:30 a.m.
Officials have opened the white casket bearing the body of Freddie Gray, who died after suffering serious spinal injuries while in the custody of Baltimore police, at his funeral.
The casket, flanked by eight floral arrangements on the floor, is in front of the pulpit for Monday’s services at New Shiloh Baptist Church. A wreath sits on top of the casket lid.
Placed atop Gray’s body is a white pillow with a screened picture of Gray.
A handful of people were inside the church sanctuary. Part of a balcony has been designated for media.
A projector aimed at two screens on the walls beside the pulpit show the words “Black Lives Matter & All Lives Matter” in red lettering.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
