Will the black man become a thing of the past?

Shantee Woodards:

Benjamin Evans Jr. was outside smoking a cigarette early Saturday morning in Robinwood when he was shot and killed, making him the city's third homicide victim this year.

Last night, 23-year-old Terry Eugene Mullins Sr. was standing outside on Newtowne Drive when he was shot and wounded in an attempted robbery.

Police say the incidents are not related, but they bring the city's shooting total this year up to seven.

Mr. Evans, 25, was visiting his girlfriend and two children at their home in the 1300 block of Tyler Avenue when shots rang out at 1:24 a.m. He tried to run inside, but was hit the back with the bullet coming out through his chest, police said. He was flown to Shock Trauma Center at University Hospital in Baltimore where he later died.

City officials said they were unable to comment on the current cases because the investigation is ongoing, but they are trying to address what they see as the root of the violence plaguing some Annapolis neighborhoods.

"A lot of the young black-on-black crime I think, is related to drugs," Mayor Ellen O. Moyer said. "We've got to do better,"

Ms. Moyer said as part of the Let's Talk campaign she's formed a committee of professionals to look into illegal drug use, treatment and prevention plans within Annapolis.

She's expects a comprehensive report to be released in October.

Mr. Evans grew up in Annapolis and was a football and basketball player at Annapolis High School. At the time of his death, he was thinking about moving to Washington State for a job with a moving and storage company.

"He was a very quiet young man and he didn't bother anybody," said Torria Evans Watkins, Mr. Evans' older sister. "He was eight years younger than me, but he was more than a brother. He was a friend."

Police circulated fliers in the Robinwood area for information on Mr. Evans' killing. Police are offering a $1,000 award for information that leads to an arrest and conviction. Anyone with information should call (410) 268-9000. Callers can be anonymous.

The city's shooting total, which includes two homicides, accounts to about a shooting a week this year.

Police acknowledged that the shooting total is high, but they say they are doing everything they can to solve the crimes.

It is often difficult to get witnesses to report crimes to police, which makes it even more difficult, said Officer Kevin Freeman.

"These are random acts of violence," said Officer Freeman, police spokesman. "We need cooperation from the public on the shooting. Sometimes we only get one call. People don't want to get involved. The detectives have to spend their time looking for witnesses rather than having people ready to be interviewed."

Mr. Mullins told police that he was in the 700 block of Newtowne Drive talking to someone when a masked man approached him with a gun shortly after 7 p.m.

The man had a black revolver said "give me what you got," police said.

A witness heard a shot and saw the man run toward the back side of the rec center.

Mr. Mullins was hit in the right buttock. He was transported to Annapolis Middle School and then flown to Shock Trauma.

With Mr. Evans' death, witnesses told police they heard as many as 16 shots. Mr. Evans was pulled inside a home, where officers found him unresponsive. No motive has been determined. Mr. Evans' girlfriend, Demetria Watkins, and their two children - Emari Evans , 6, and Machi Benjamin Evans , 6 months, were home at the time of the shooting.

Torria Watkins said she is concerned about the growing number of shootings in the city.

"Nothing will change until we change and the community takes action," Ms. Watkins said. "It's not just Robinwood. With all the predominantly black neighborhoods, it's a war zone. Pretty soon the black man will be a thing of the past. To see an old black man you'll have to go to a museum or something."

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