Jerome Michael Coateson, a 38-year-old Black male, was fatally shot on the evening of Saturday, August 9, 2025, in the Park Heights neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. The incident occurred at approximately 8:46 p.m. in the 5100 block of Queensberry Avenue, where Coateson and others had gathered for an evening crab feast.
According to his grandmother, Coateson, a father of three who bought and renovated houses, was a kind-hearted and hardworking family man.
He and his wife had planned a date night after he was invited to the gathering. While Coateson and several others were sitting outside on a porch and near a vehicle, an unknown assailant or assailants opened fire.
The shooting resulted in six victims, including Coateson. A 5-year-old girl was shot in the hand, and four other adults, a 23-year-old woman, a 32-year-old man, a 33-year-old man, and a 52-year-old man, sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Coateson was found in critical condition and was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead on Sunday morning. Stray bullets also struck several vehicles in the area.
As of now, the Baltimore police are actively investigating the mass shooting. It is not yet clear if Coateson was the intended target of the attack. No arrests have been made, and police have not released any information about a suspect or suspects. Metro Crime Stoppers is offering an $8,000 reward for any information that leads to an arrest and conviction in the case. Community organizations have been in the neighborhood offering resources and support to residents who have been shaken by the violence.
