On Wednesday, Jan. 3, Mayor Brandon M. Scott, city officials, elected leaders, community partners and church and other religious leaders attended the City of Baltimore's Annual Vigil of Remembrance, marking the first time the event has been held in person since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The vigil honored the memory of residents who lost their lives in 2023 due to violence, suicide, fatal overdose or those who died in the line of duty in Baltimore.
"The Vigil of Remembrance is about holding space for and remembering those we lost this year from our children to our elders, no matter whether the causes is viol0ence, fatal overdose or suicide, " said Brandon M. Scott, Baltimore's mayor. "We remember those we lost as neighbors, as Baltimoreans,"
"They are not statistics— they are parents, children, brothers, sisters, friends and neighbors. Every loss we have experienced this year, we feel as a community. As a city we take this time to wrap our arms around the loved ones they leave behind and commit ourselves to collective healing — all while working every single day to build a safer, brighter future for Baltimore. "
The names of 263 people who died as a result of violence were read aloud by elected leaders, city officials and members of the community.
"The men and women of our police department feel the loss of every Baltimorean, and it is a deep desire to save lives that drives us to go out there and do the work to build a safer city each and every day," said Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley. "It's important that we stand together to memorialize those we've lost to remind ourselves of why we do this work."
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