Baltimore’s Sandtown-Winchester celebrates more than a year without a homicide
By Kaicey Baylor
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BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Baltimore’s Sandtown Safe Streets is celebrating more than a year without homicides in the community.
“Since March 15, 2025, the Safe Streets Sandtown site has gone 374 days without a homicide in their zone,” said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott. “We understand that this work is a part of how homicides and non-fatal shootings in Baltimore have fallen nearly 60% since 2021.”
Mayor Scott said this is the first time this site has ever gone more than a year without a homicide. He added that historically, the Sandtown-Winchester community has been considered one of the most violent neighborhoods in the city.
“Y’all are providing a safe space for my young people at Lillian Jones [Recreation Center] when no one else was willing to be for them after a young lady who was 13-years-old was murdered in front of that recreation center,” said Baltimore City Councilman James Torrence.
Sandtown Safe Streets team members grew up in the neighborhood.
“I’m the little girl who used to walk up and down here,” said Site Director Nicole Warren.
She and her team interrupt violence each day.
“When I got on Nikes or New Balances, they know I’m on the ground,” she said. “So, I’m going to keep marching.”
“These people are intervening in conflicts, putting their lives at risk every single day to save other people’s lives,” Mayor Scott said.
They also build relationships with neighbors and have been sharing necessary resources to turn the violent trend around.
Safe Streets members said now it’s about continuing the work they do each do while also pushing for more resources to this community.
MONSE reports Sandtown Safe Streets mediated 91 potentially violent conflicts in 2025.
MONSE Director Stefanie Mavronis said in 2025, across all Safe Streets locations, they mediated about 1,700 conflicts. So far this year, the agency has recorded roughly 350 mediations.
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