Anthony Martin, a 36-year-old father known to friends as Chris, spent the evening of August 18, 2024, doing what he and his friends did most Sundays: playing basketball at a park in their East Baltimore neighborhood. But the friendly gathering was shattered by a burst of violence that would end the Black male's life and injure seven other people.
The shooting occurred around 8:01 p.m. in the 1300 block of N.
Spring Street, where the Thunderguard Motorcycle Club was holding a memorial cookout for a deceased member. According to witnesses, a heated argument broke out over a residential parking spot. The dispute quickly escalated, and gunfire erupted. Investigators later determined there were multiple shooters, and ballistic evidence suggested at least ten different firearms were used in the chaos. Martin was struck by multiple gunshots and was pronounced dead at a local hospital. The other victims, a woman and six men ranging in age from 22 to 46, all survived their injuries.
Relying on surveillance footage from the area, Baltimore Police detectives identified a suspect. On October 7, 2024, members of a warrant task force arrested 43-year-old Eric Kibler, a member of the motorcycle club who had traveled to the city for the memorial. He was charged with first-degree murder and dozens of other offenses related to the mass shooting. Kibler was held without bond.
During court proceedings, Kibler’s attorney argued that his client was attempting to be a peacemaker and had acted in self-defense, claiming that Martin had fired a weapon first. The defense also contended that there were as many as 19 shooters involved in the incident and that Kibler was being unfairly scapegoated for the actions of many.
In March 2026, Eric Kibler went to trial. After hearing the evidence, a jury acquitted him of the most serious charges, including first- and second-degree murder in the death of Anthony Martin. He was also found not guilty on charges related to the other wounded victims. The jury did, however, find him guilty on two handgun offenses: illegal possession of a regulated firearm and carrying a handgun without a permit.
The jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on several other counts, including conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. Following the trial, the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office announced its intention to retry Kibler on the unresolved charges. As of March 2026, Kibler was awaiting sentencing for his handgun convictions and a potential second trial.
