Suspect in killing of Councilman Ken Harris
His name is Charles Y. McGaney, and just as City Hall officials thought, he lives one block behind the Northwood Shopping Center. He's local. From the neighborhood. And now he's been arrested in the Sept. 20 fatal shooting of former Councilman Kenneth N. Harris Sr.
Police last night charged McGaney in an arrest warrant with first and second-degree murder, armed robbery and other related charges. He's 20, and his last known address was in the 1600 block of Lochwood Road, behind the nightspot where Harris was killed in what police say was a robbery gone bad. Police announced the warrant at a news conference this morning and said they knew the name of a second suspect.
Police raided five houses in Northeast Baltimore looking for McGaney, but came up empty. They got him later this morning, shortly after the news conference. Within hours, they'd picked up the second suspect, too. Authorities said that McGaney's name surfaced early in the investigation, and that detectives had talked to him repeatedly. But only recently, Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III told reporters, did his name reach the top of their long list of possible suspects.
It is not known whether police believe this suspect is the shooter. Bealefeld did confirm he is one of the three people captured in a grainy photo taken by a surveilance camera. Bealefeld has said in the past they had forensic DNA evidence -- they recovered a mask and other evidence from the scene -- but had no suspsect to link it to. This morning, Bealefeld wouldn't elaborate, saying he had to be careful not to jeopardize a case that consumed countless hours from many detectives and prosecutors.
We still don't know much about the case or McGaney -- he has a list of prior arrests in Baltimore County and the city, Bealefeld said, and the ones in the city are on streets all around the shopping center. Today's announcement probably won't end the countless rumors and accusations about the case -- Bealefeld was called to a City Council hearing earlier this month to answer questions about why there no arrest yet and to update the investigation. Some community members, including Harris' mother, have complained that police have been silent on who the woman was in the car with Harris when he was killed and have implied that Harris was targeted in something other than a robbery.
Bealefeld again wouldn't answer questions about the woman (she is a witness) but reiterated that detectives believe Harris was shot as part of a robbery gone bad. He praised detectives who have spent weeks tracking down leads but cautioned that, "This announcement begins the justice process." There are still arrests to made, other suspects to be identified and caught, and convictions to be obtained.
"We had to ensure that we dotted every 'i' and crossed every 't' so that justice is served," Bealefeld said. "We would not be hurried or rushed into making premature judgements or doing anything that would jeopardize this case. ... This is only the beginning. There is much, much more work yet to be done."
These words seemed aimed at family and community leaders who pressured the police for a quick arrest. The department has come under criticism for low clearance rates with murders, and the City Hall hearing only inflamed passions not only about the Harris case, but about other unsolved killings in the city.
Bealefeld complained early in the investigation that only two people living around the Northwood Shopping Center called detectives with tips. More calls came as police pushed hard for information. City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake insisted for weeks that the suspects lived near the shopping center that people in the neighborhood had information that could help solve the case.
She was right.
Mayor Sheila Dixon seized on that this morning, telling reporters, "The individual lived in the community. It is so important that we have community insight. This is a senseless crime. We have to send a message, particularly to our young people, that this is unacceptable and (the suspects) will have to pay."
Dixon said officials and others have been "too soft" in talking about murder in Baltimore and that she too anxiously awaited police to name a suspect in the Harris case. She was standing next to Annette Harris, the slain councilman's wife.
"I felt the frustrations that Annette about having information," Dixon said. "I knew Ken Harris for years and I knew how he loved this city. Life is precious. We have to value it and we have to send that message out.
Annette then spoke, telling reporters that her husband was "a true champion of justice" and she urged, "I pray that justice prevails."
Bealefeld didn't release much information about his detectives pulled together this case. In the days, weeks and months to come, we will learn much more about McGaney, his friends, his family and the neighborhood in which he lived. Eventually, we will also get a clearer idea of the motive, and hopefully put to rest the rumors that have split the Harris family and have only caused more grief and left us with unanswered questions.
Comments
I would like to commend the detectives on arresting these cowards!!I hope this sends a strong message to these type of cowards who commit these type of crimes that you will be caught and punished for your act of such evil. I hope this will bring some sort of closure to the slain councilman's family. Let's get all these violent people off of our city's streets, they are menaces to our society!!!!
Posted by: aw39 | November 14, 2008 2:02 PM
I wont be surprised if this kid gets off...reasonable doubt...but since its such a high profile case, they may label this kid the shooter even if he wasnt....either way, what about all the 15,16,17,18 yr olds that get killed in Bmore everyday? no one cares about the other countless murderers roaming this city
Posted by: gerv | November 14, 2008 4:28 PM
Let's not rush to judgement. There's still a lot of work that has to be done to convict these suspects. Whether the two are guilty (I thought there were three persons in the video) must be proved. Regardless, the type of people that are responsible are like roaches. Get them out of society. Send them back to their maker. They are useless to our society. I think we need to prepare ourselves for the defense of a "broken childhood", bad schools, etc. We need to move toward less excuses and more expectations of rising above whatever life deals you. Life circumstances can explain, but should never excuse the behavior that violates order, peace, security, safety and the right to walk around without being violated by another. When convicted, these roaches need to pay!
Posted by: Sparky | November 15, 2008 6:43 AM
I Dont think it will send a message to the cowards that run around this city terrorizing people who work hard and want nothing more but to live a peaceful life they will always continue to make the youth look bad and as a 26 year old blk male I'm disappointed by how we are all looked at because of people like this it is potential in every human being it just has to be found I'm sorry to say that young men like this have lost their way and I feel sorry for them but they must pay for their actions
Posted by: Bmoredre | November 15, 2008 8:05 AM
Murders in our community will only stop when we have the same outrage toward black suspects in killing blacks,than we have when a white man who kills a black man. I said it and I stand by it.These chumps who commit mayhem in our community need to be held accountable as the scum that they are. They are our brothers,uncles,fathers and children we as a community can no longer coddle these guys because they don't represent who we are as a people
Posted by: Stan | November 15, 2008 9:21 AM
Another ignorant comment about 15,16,17 and 18 year olds getting killed and nobody caring. Thats ridiculous. This case was solved by people stepping up and calling in what they know. If people would so called,"care" as you put it gerv, then most of these murders would be solved.
Posted by: steelers | November 15, 2008 2:39 PM
iam a black police officer in the city and i thing it was terrible how this case was handled. we see killings in this city everyday,but because this man was who he was it gets all this attention.the city council are calling the police to city hall for updates on this case.why dont police commanders get called before the city council for the other open murder cases.maybe because the city council dosent care about the 18yr old drug dealers that are killed.this is the problem with this city.the people in power only want to help when it makes them look good.to me this makes them look foolish.they are here to help the citzens of this city.so with all the attention for this crime.are they going to give the same attention to the drug dealers that are killed.the so called leaders in this city should realize that they also have love ones who want there crimes solved.i know its hard to beleive but there are police in this city that care about the people we are here to protect and serve.and dont have a respect of person the people that commited this crime should be punished and i my heart goes out to the harris family but my heart also goes out to all murder victims familes not just ones with a big name..
Posted by: bigman | November 15, 2008 3:22 PM
I too agree with the police officer and would like to see all of the murder crimes have has much attention as the Harris case. In his honor we need to take them all personal just the way he took on the issue of this city. I truly believe Mr. Harris would want this also. We who have a great deal of respect for life would like to think that our officer feel the same way and are tried of the senseless killing going on in the city. But how are they going to do their job with the cut back that are about to take place. Send a message as your mayor said but don’t cut back on the safety of us citizens who travel and live in the city because as you see we will all be victims when it comes to the safety of Baltimore City. Great job by our police and let’s solve the other cold cases also.
Posted by: Anthony | November 19, 2008 8:58 PM