Amid a spike in violence, Baltimore Mayor Jack Young (D) is telling residents to stop shooting people to make sure hospitals have beds available to treat patients infected with the coronavirus.
“I want to reiterate how completely unacceptable the level of violence is that we have seen recently,” Young said on Wednesday. He added, “We will not stand for mass shootings and an increase in crime.”
His comments come a day after seven people were shot on Tuesday night, and after the city reported its fifth confirmed case of the coronavirus.
He continued, “For those of you who want to continue to shoot and kill people of this city, we’re not going to tolerate it.”
“We’re going to come after you, and we’re going to get you,” he warned.
Young explained that the city could not “clog up our hospitals” with victims of shootings “because we’re going to need those beds” for people who are infected with the coronavirus.
“We cannot clog up our hospitals and their beds with people that are being shot senselessly because we’re going to need those beds for people infected with the coronavirus. And it could be your mother, your grandmother or one of your relatives. So take that into consideration.”
Young announced on Wednesday that he was declaring a state of emergency in the city over the spread of the coronavirus.
His comments come as public officials across the country are urging Americans to stay home and “sacrifice together” in an attempt to “flatten the curve.”
Officials say it is crucial that Americans stay home in an attempt to slow the spread of the coronavirus in the country so that the healthcare system is not overwhelmed by a sudden spike in cases and people who need medical attention.
