Freddie Gray, a 25 year old Baltimore resident, was arrested on April 12th for suspicious behavior. After being chased down, and tackled by police, he was shackled by the hands and feet and put in a police vehicle. Reports are saying that he was not seat belted in to the vehicle. He began to request for an inhaler (used in treatment for asthma attacks), and for other medical attention. Thirty minutes later he was finally granted this, and was hospitalized for several days before passing away due to a severe neck injury. Gray’s death has been ruled as a homicide, a result from rough riding in the police van.

Family, church friends, and neighbors gathered to try to find out what happened to result in the twenty-five year olds untimely death. The police have withheld information, and suspended the six police officers involved in the arrest of Freddie Gray. The people gathered and marched to protest the lack of information given on their friend’s mysterious experience and eventual death caused during the arrest. Local police have shared their sentiment as they watched the march closely to ensure that it did not turn violent.

Unfortunately the peaceful march for the truth did not last long. As more and more information was released, the numbers of people involve d in the protest grew exponentially. These did not stay peaceful for long however, on Tuesday right after school was let out, students gathered and rioted against Baltimore police in angst. The riots soon spread to local shopping centers and turned to violent behaviors. They begin lighting police vehicles on fire, and local buildings including a CVS Pharmacy. The police tried to regain order but in that process left the mall and students began looting the stores and creating even more chaos. Over 200 local businesses, some without insurance, have been destroyed during the protests. Many of the protesters remained peaceful through it all, but a select few (a number of which are minors) rallied against the police officers throwing rocks and since April 23rd, injured over 113 police officers some of which were hospitalized, and over 486 people have been arrested.

The government issued a curfew, announced a state of emergency, and school was canceled by some public schools to try and restore order. The Police continued to investigate, and keep the peace as time and anger continued. Curfew was lifted as of May 3rd , and the city is in the process of removing the national guard and is working towards removing the state of emergency. Chaos continued to quiet down after more reports and investigations were revealed to the public. Including the result of the investigation of the 6 police officers. Charges have been issued to all of the officers, including voluntary and involuntary manslaughter, second degree assault, false imprisonment, and misconduct in office. The city has become hopeful and is in the process of recovery from the violence and uprising that ensued in the last few weeks.