(MENAFN) Six individuals, among them a 5-year-old girl, were injured in a shooting incident in Baltimore, Maryland, on Saturday night. Authorities believe the attack was deliberate, according to reports.

Witness accounts indicate that several victims had been sitting on a porch and standing near a parked car while eating when gunfire erupted. “A five-year-old girl was shot in the hand and is expected to recover,” officials confirmed, adding that one person remains in critical condition and is undergoing surgery. Specialized police units, along with fire and emergency medical services, were deployed to support the investigation.

Multiple streets in the area have been closed, and residents are being urged to avoid the vicinity. Investigators are questioning victims and witnesses in an effort to establish the motive behind the attack. As of late Saturday, no suspects had been identified or taken into custody.

The shooting took place in Park Heights, a predominantly Black community in northwest Baltimore that is home to the Pimlico Race Course, the venue for the Preakness Stakes. The neighborhood has struggled with economic hardship and elevated levels of violent crime in recent years.

City crime statistics show that Baltimore recorded 68 homicides in the first half of 2025, a notable decrease from 88 during the same period in the previous year. Despite this drop, the city—famously depicted in the crime drama “The Wire”—remains among the top five in the U.S. for homicide rates.

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