Ryan Brunson, a 27-year-old male, was a rising local rap artist in Baltimore, Maryland, known to many by his stage name '2Raw'. His life was cut short on March 18, 2019, when he was fatally shot inside a residence on the 800 block of Appleton Street in West Baltimore. This area of the city had been experiencing a notable increase in violence, with Brunson's death being one of five homicides in the neighborhood within a single week.
The investigation into his killing uncovered connections
to local gang activities. It came to light that this was not the first attempt on Brunson's life. A year prior, in 2018, he had survived an attack at his home on Woodlea Avenue in Northeast Baltimore. This earlier incident was part of a federal racketeering conspiracy case involving the Black Guerrilla Family gang. A member of the BGF, Wayne Prince, later pleaded guilty to charges that included the 2018 attempt to murder Brunson.
Despite the known connections to gang-related violence and the previous attempt on his life, no arrests have been made specifically for the murder of Ryan Brunson. The Baltimore Police Department's investigation has been hampered by a reluctance of individuals in the community to come forward with information. The case remains open as authorities continue to seek assistance from the public to bring those responsible for his death to justice. The loss of the young artist serves as a stark reminder of the persistent challenges of gang violence in the city.
