Baltimore violence held steady in June as homicides rose slightly

Baltimore logged seven homicides in June, one more than in May, while non-fatal shootings held at 26 incidents for the second straight month. The flat totals hid a month that still produced lethal violence in at least two corners of the city, from the 1800 block of North Payson Street to the 400 block of East 25th Street.

Baltimore Witness, which tracks homicides and non-fatal shootings through the entire life of each case, treats those June numbers as more than a simple monthly count. Its reporting follows each incident from the initial shooting or stabbing through judicial resolution, a method that keeps the focus on individual victims, neighborhoods and whether the justice system ultimately closes a case.

One of June’s killings began on June 10 in the 1800 block of North Payson Street, where officers found three people with gunshot wounds. Rashad Howell, 22, died from his injuries. Baltimore Police said the shooting involved a 20-year-old woman and two 22-year-old men, and investigators were still looking for information about a vehicle connected to the case.

Another homicide came 10 days later in East Baltimore. Police said Shonda Singleton, 56, was found with multiple stab wounds in the 400 block of East 25th Street after officers responded to reports of a stabbing around 1:40 p.m. She was taken to a hospital and later died. Police identified 50-year-old Toi Stukes as the suspect in Singleton’s killing.

The June count fits into a year-to-date pattern that looks better on paper, but still leaves Baltimore with a steep caseload. As of July 1, city officials said Baltimore had recorded 50 homicides in the first half of 2026, the fewest ever recorded through the first six months of a year. Baltimore Police said non-fatal shootings stood at 156 for 2026, down from 160 during the same period in 2025, and said its homicide clearance rate was 60 percent while its non-fatal shooting clearance rate was 54 percent.

Baltimore ended 2025 with 133 homicides, the lowest annual total in nearly 50 years. June’s numbers suggest that the city’s overall trajectory remains down, but the month also showed how violence can stay stubbornly concentrated in specific blocks, where each case still carries its own victim, suspect and unresolved aftermath.