On a cold December evening in Northeast Baltimore, a violent altercation tragically cut short the life of 27-year-old Donnell Haley. It was December 18, 2017, when police were called to the scene of a reported shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered Haley suffering from a gunshot wound to his stomach. He was rushed to a local hospital, but his injuries proved to be fatal.
The investigation into the shooting revealed a complex and volatile situation.
Haley, along with another man, Devon Perkins, had allegedly been involved in an assault on another individual. In the midst of this attack, a third person intervened and opened fire, striking both Haley and Perkins. Perkins also succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.
In a significant development, the Baltimore State's Attorney's office reviewed the case and determined that the shooter had acted in defense of the person being attacked. This led to the legal conclusion that the shooting was a justified act of self-defense. Consequently, no charges were filed against the individual who shot Haley and Perkins. The incident, which was initially investigated as a double homicide, was later reclassified, altering the city's homicide statistics for that year.
