RIDGELY — Safety concerns are being raised by residents following an Aug. 10 non-fatal shooting at an apartment complex just outside the town of Ridgely.
That night, the Caroline County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting at the Daysprings Townhomes off of School Street, locating one injured man. In an interview with ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ Monday, Sheriff Donald Baker said the investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
Baker said county police were aware of a gathering that night and increased their presence in the area, along with other safety measures. He said police responded “within seconds†to the incident.
Resident Lakia Pierce-Harris brought concerns to the Caroline County Commissioners that future gatherings at the complex could bring forth a similar incident.
“I’m scared somebody’s going to get killed this time that’s going to be an innocent bystander,†Pierce-Harris said at an Aug. 20 meeting.
Commission Vice President Larry Porter said his understanding was “the majority of the people in attendance at that (Aug. 10) function did not live in Daysprings (and) did not live in Ridgely,†to which Pierce-Harris concurred.
“All I’m asking is, I feel our community, our police force and our leadership have another opportunity if this happens again in two weeks, to be proactive instead of reactive,†Pierce-Harris said, citing rumors of future gatherings at the complex as Labor Day nears.
While Baker said the Aug. 10 shooting was an “isolated incident,†he noted his department has been performing checks on the area to be safe.
Emma Freeman lives in the Daysprings Townhomes and is worried for her safety. She was at her residence during the shooting earlier this month.
“I had just come in from work, and I was walking on my porch,†Freeman said in an interview. “(I) put my hand on my doorknob, and I heard this, ‘Bang, bang, bang.’â€
“My family is afraid to come here,†she continued. “I have a very large family. They’re afraid to come here to visit me. They’re afraid to come and have dinner.â€
Freeman, who is blind in one eye and a senior citizen, said the number one failure at the complex has been management. She wants to see cameras installed as well as light improvements.
“We have one pole light sitting right in front of my apartment,†Freeman said. “And that’s the only light that we have. When I come up at night or anybody comes up at night, the neighbors, they’re afraid.â€
Attempts by ¾ÅÉ«ÊÓƵ to reach the property manager or the company, East Coast Property Management, were unsuccessful. Caroline County Commission President Travis Breeding said in an interview that the county has been in contact with the company to improve security.
“We have expedited that and put a little pressure on the property management company to get those cameras upgraded,†Breeding said.
Baker says the residents in and around the Daysprings Townhomes are a priority to police, and he encourages anyone who sees criminal activity to contact 911 if it’s an emergency or the Caroline County Sheriff’s Office otherwise.
“I have a lot of faith in the sheriff’s department that they’re addressing the safety concerns,†Breeding said. “Ultimately, it’s not ownership or the county’s role to provide the law enforcement aspects, and I think the sheriff’s department is addressing that as best they can.â€
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