Coming into April, murders were down 27% compared to last year. Now, 3 weeks in and that gap has closed to just 11% with one third of the 29 murders happening in West Baltimore.
"This whole block had businesses going. Look at this now, you got three or four businesses," Roland "Duck" Tyner said.
He founded the Bandoleros Motorcyle Club on Edmondson Avenue over 60 years ago. Now, he sits in his truck on the corner almost every day, watching time take its toll.
"We used to have motorcycles in this whole block on both sides of the street," Tyner said.
He says as the city started getting more violent, people stopped coming.
"If people stop coming into the neighborhood, you aren't going to have businesses," Tyner said.
He says it's getting worse too. A man was murdered just a few blocks up the street earlier this month. It's one of nine homicides in West Baltimore in three weeks; the bloodiest district in April. The Southern district has seen 5 of April's 29 murders. Southwest -- 4, Southeast and Eastern -- 3.
There have been more murders so far in April than this month last year, and there is still one week left. Police have conducted warrant initiatives and made a few arrests after the uptick, but Tyner wants to see more foot patrols.
"Police need to start getting out on foot and walking around in the communities and meeting people and talking wih them. You can find out a whole lot of things when you talk to them," Tyner said.
He hopes to bring vitality back to his second home.
