Following the funeral of Freddie Grey, who died while in custody of the Baltimore Police Department, the city is experiencing riots and looting with cars and at least one store being set on fire.
Gov. Larry Hogan has declared a state of emergency and the National Guard has been activated to bring the situation under control.
Social media in the area is reporting further riots are planned, specifically at two malls located within the city. A CVS pharmacy was destroyed and fire crews were hampered as the blaze was being brought under control by rioters cutting the hose being used to extinguish the fire as it began to consume the building.
The mayor of Baltimore has enacted curfews from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. for the city during the week, as police and the National Guard try to restore order.
Fifteen police officers have been injured during the days events, with two still under medical care. The clash between protesters and police began near the Mondawmin Mall and spread throughout the area.
TMN will cover the events as they unfold and is seeking on site reporting.
Latest from the Associated Press 7:05 p.m. The governor of Maryland has declared a state of emergency and activated the National Guard to help with the violence and rioting in Baltimore. Gov. Larry Hogan signed the order Monday night at the request of the city. Cars and at least one store have been set on fire during a riot. Businesses are being looted in part of the city. The riot started just hours after the funeral for Freddie Gray, who died after being injured while in police custody. ___ 7 p.m. Maryland’s two senators are faulting a few in Baltimore for the violent protests, looting and clashes with police. “This is terrible,” Democratic Sen. Barbara Mikulski told reporters in the U.S. Capitol Monday night. The five-term senator and Baltimore resident said about 300 students primarily from one high school acted out and showed “disrespect toward Freddie Gray.” Mikulski said some 85,000 school children went home and were not involved. Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin said their “immediate concern is to restore the peace in Baltimore.” The two lawmakers said they are awaiting the independent, civil rights investigation by the Justice Department into Gray’s death. Gray died of an unexplained spinal injury while in police custody. ___ 6:45 p.m. A pharmacy that has been looted in the Baltimore riots is on fire and police are trying to keep people back as firefighters battle the blaze. Smoke is pouring out of the CVS pharmacy, which is about 1.5 miles from downtown Baltimore. Some people cut holes in a hose that firefighters were using. Nearby, liquor stores were busted open and being looted. People were in the streets drinking while police stood still nearby. The riot started just hours after Freddie Gray’s funeral. Gray died after suffering injuries in police custody. ___ 6:35 President Barack Obama is pledging the federal government’s help to respond to riots that have broken out in Baltimore following the funeral of Freddie Gray. The White House says the Baltimore mayor updated Obama on the situation and that Obama told her his administration would provide assistance as needed. The White House says Obama also discussed the rioting with Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who was sworn in hours earlier. Obama and Lynch met in the Oval Office while violent scenes of rioting in Baltimore played out on television. Gray died April 19 after suffering a mysterious spinal injury while in police custody. The Justice Department and local authorities are investigating. ___ 6:30 p.m. The governor of Maryland says the National Guard is on alert and may deploy to help police with the looting and violence in Baltimore. Gov. Larry Hogan says he wants the Guard on alert so they can deploy rapidly as needed. The governor readied the Guard as rioters set fire to cars and a business and looters raided several stores. At least seven officers have been injured in chaos. The Orioles game in Baltimore has been postponed because of safety concerns. ___ 6:05 p.m. An attorney for the family of Freddie Gray says they are in shock watching the violence in Baltimore. Hours after Gray’s funeral, a large group of youths had a standoff with police, throwing bricks, bottles and other items at officers. Several stores have been looted and cars have been set on fire. Gray family attorney Billy Murphy said the family is urging for calm. “They don’t want this movement nationally to be marred by violence,” he said. “It makes no sense.” Murphy said Gray’s family is lying low Monday night. Gray died after suffering critical injuries in police custody. ___ 5:55 p.m. Protesters are looting a check-cashing business and other stores in Baltimore, busting through the windows and climbing inside to take items. Cars have been lit on fire and a large group of youths threw rocks, bricks and other items at police. As people arrived home from work, some yelled at the youths to stop causing trouble. “I never thought I’d see something like this happen in my neighborhood,” said Ted Bushrod, 32, who’s lived in the area all his life. Bushrod, who said his father died in an officer-involved shooting involving the Baltimore Police Department, criticized the violence. “It’s disappointing. I understand the kids’ frustration. We go through this every day,” he added, referring to black people being targeted for their race in Baltimore. Freddie Gray, who is black, died after he suffered injuries while in police custody. ___ 5:35 p.m. Police are urging parents to locate their children and bring them home after youths clashed violently with police in Baltimore. Baltimore police made the announcement on its Twitter feed. A group of youths threw bricks, rocks and other items at police during a violent clash hours after the funeral of Freddie Gray. At least seven police officers were injured. A lot of the youths clashing with police had backpacks and were wearing khaki pants, which are a part of many Baltimore public school uniforms. The activity broke out just as high school let out, and at a key city bus depot for student commuters. Gray died April 19. He suffered injuries in police custody. Authorities are investigating. ___ 5:15 p.m. 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. Timeline of events