On a crisp autumn evening in Baltimore, the life of a promising young man was tragically cut short. Alonzo Gladden, a 24-year-old Navy sailor, was in the city on leave, a welcome visit to his grandmother's home that turned into a scene of violence. On October 24, 2012, as he and his brother were getting out of their parked car in the 2700 block of Marbourne Avenue, gunshots shattered the night's calm. Alonzo was struck and fatally wounded in the sudden attack.
His brother, who was with him at the time, was fortunately not injured.
The graduate of Poly Western High School was remembered as a good student and was serving as a chief petty officer and a nuclear engineer aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. He had recently returned from a nine-month deployment. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, his grandmother rushed to his side, cradling him as he lay bleeding next to his car. The trunk was still open, a poignant detail of the groceries he had intended to bring into her home. Neighbors reported hearing several loud pops, the sounds of a life being stolen.
Baltimore City Police quickly launched a homicide investigation. They were searching for two suspects who were seen fleeing the area in a dark sedan. Authorities at the time stated they had no indication that Gladden was involved in any illicit activities and appealed to the community for any information that could lead to the perpetrators. Police considered the possibility of it being a random act of violence or that his brother may have been the intended target. Despite their efforts and pleas for public assistance, the case grew cold.
Years have passed since Alonzo Gladden's murder, yet justice has remained elusive. The investigation into his death is still considered open, but no arrests have ever been made in connection with the shooting. The two individuals in the dark sedan have never been publicly identified, and the motive behind the senseless killing of the young sailor on a visit to his family remains a painful, unanswered question for his loved ones and the community.
