The killings of two children inside a Gwynn Oak home have left a Baltimore County community in mourning, as police identified the victims Wednesday as 9-year-old Steve Allen and his 15-year-old sister, Giovanna Myrie.
Baltimore County Police responded to a family home in the 6100 block of Talles Road on Tuesday for reports of a shooting.
Upon arriving to the Gwynn Oak neighborhood, police said they found Allen and Myrie with gunshot wounds.
The siblings were pronounced dead at the scene.
Western High School posted a tribute on social media for Myrie and her brother.
The family asked for privacy and space as they grieve, said Sherry Christian, a spokesperson for Baltimore City Public Schools.
“Our hearts are with the children’s family, friends, classmates, and all those affected by this tragic loss,” Christian said in a statement. “Counseling and other support services are available for any students and staff who need them.”
The shooting shocked the quiet residential neighborhood, which is surrounded by a park and near a busy road with fast food restaurants and gas stations.
The morning following the shooting, toys were strewn in the grass and the blinds were drawn at the home. The only visible sign of the previous night’s violence was two bullet holes in the home’s siding.
“I’ve seen a lot of things in my career. But this is something that’s horrific. It’s tragic,” Police Commissioner Robert McCullough said Tuesday. “It’s something that doesn’t happen in this community here.”
The chief said the children’s parents called police to the home. He described the shooting as an isolated incident but said police were searching for a suspect.
“At this time our homicide unit has responded to the location, and we right now have an ongoing homicide investigation,” he told reporters Tuesday evening.
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