The images from the deadly attack in New York are still fresh and painful, yet the thought of it happening in Baltimore doesn't phase people here any more than the chance of becoming a victim of homegrown violence.
"Baltimore's a great city. I don't think about being scared. Life is short so you just have to go out there and have fun," said Nikoletta Kataxenos as she took out-of-town guests on a tour of Federal Hill.
"I heard of it, but it didn't phase me I guess, because if they can live here, guess it's good," added her friend, Voula Koufalis, who is visiting from Canada.
On this day, the promenade surrounding the Inner Harbor is filled with young children and their chaperones, and while there is an obvious police presence, there is also a pathway, unobstructed with heavy concrete impediments or large trucks, for other vehicles to reach the area.
"We also don't want to handcuff ourselves and show a fear that we're barricading everything,” said Baltimore Police Media Relations Chief T.J. Smith, “Again, we're you're looking at an event like Halloween... when you're looking at an event like the Fourth of July or Artscape, there are going to be tens of thousands of people on foot in a small geographical area, and this is an area where a person who wants to harm others can easily do that."
While police in New York City recently contacted well over a hundred truck rental outlets asking them to report anything out of the ordinary, officers here have taken precautions as well.
"We've met with the business community about things they should be on the lookout for that could help us thwart a potential attack should it arise, but you can't stop all of this stuff,” said Smith, “So it's up to individuals to help us as well."
Police in Baltimore say, while it may seem like a cliché, if you see something, you should say something, because that's still one of the most effective ways of stopping acts of terrorism before they unfold.
