In the early hours of a Tuesday morning in Baltimore, the quiet of the 2800 block of West Lanvale Street was broken by an act of violence that left two men dead. Michael Duncan, a 37-year-old Black male, was discovered on May 9, 2017, the victim of a fatal shooting. The incident, which police classified as a double homicide, also claimed the life of another man, Kwame Cheeks.
Responding to a call around 5:52 a.m., Western District patrol officers arrived at the scene to find a grim
tableau. The bodies of both Mr. Duncan and Mr. Cheeks were located in and around a vehicle, each having sustained gunshot wounds to the head. Medical personnel pronounced both men dead at the scene, their lives abruptly ended in a burst of gunfire. The motive for the shooting was not immediately clear to investigators, who began the arduous task of piecing together the events that led to the two men's deaths.
In the immediate aftermath, Baltimore police detectives canvassed the area, searching for witnesses and any potential leads that could point to a suspect or suspects. Authorities issued a public appeal for information, urging anyone with knowledge of the crime to come forward and contact the police or the Metro Crime Stoppers hotline. They were hopeful that members of the community could provide the crucial information needed to solve the case.
Despite the initial investigation and the public's call for assistance, information regarding any arrests or the identification of any suspects in the killing of Michael Duncan and Kwame Cheeks has not been publicly released. The case is one of many that has troubled a city grappling with a high rate of gun violence. The loss of Michael Duncan was felt by those who knew him, a life cut short in a violent act that, to date, remains without a public resolution in the form of an arrest or conviction.
