In the spring of 2017, the life of 28-year-old Channon Michael Simpkins, a Black male from Baltimore, Maryland, was tragically cut short. On the afternoon of May 6th, at approximately 2:39 p.m., Simpkins was gunned down in the East Baltimore neighborhood located in the vicinity of Whiteridge Avenue and Barclay Street. The shooting was believed to be the result of an ongoing drug dispute.
Following the incident, the Baltimore Police Department quickly identified 18-year-old Cortez Wall as
the primary suspect in Simpkins' murder. Wall was publicly declared 'Public Enemy #1,' a designation reserved for individuals considered to be particularly dangerous. Believed to be responsible for other violent acts in the city, authorities launched a significant manhunt to locate him. For two months, Wall remained at large, successfully evading capture.
The search for Cortez Wall extended beyond Maryland, culminating in his apprehension in Shreveport, Louisiana. Acting on information that Wall had been hiding in the area for some time, a team of U.S. Marshals, SWAT team members, and local law enforcement surrounded a residence on West 68th Street. After a brief attempt to flee, Wall was taken into custody with the assistance of a K-9 unit. He sustained minor injuries during his arrest and was treated at a local hospital before being booked into the Caddo Correctional Center to await extradition back to Baltimore to face charges for the murder of Channon Simpkins. While online sources detail the circumstances of Simpkins' death and the arrest of Cortez Wall, information regarding the subsequent trial, and any conviction or sentencing, is not publicly available.
