In the winter of 2024, a tragic incident cut short the life of Delroy Plummer, a 68-year-old Black man, inside a mechanic's garage in Northwest Baltimore. On the evening of January 24th, police were called to the 5200 block of Fairlawn Avenue for a reported shooting. Inside, they discovered Plummer with a fatal gunshot wound to his chest. He was pronounced deceased at the scene by medics.
Initial investigations by the Baltimore Police Department revealed that the shooting occurred inside
the office of the garage. A person of interest was quickly taken into custody in connection with the fatal shooting. The individual was later identified as 58-year-old Anthony Jones, a friend of Plummer's for several decades.
The narrative that unfolded was one of a tragic accident. Jones and Plummer were with several other people at the garage, and most of the group, excluding Plummer, had been drinking. Jones was showing his new handgun to Plummer when the weapon discharged, striking Plummer in the chest. It was Jones himself who immediately called 911 for help.
In August 2024, Anthony Jones pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and a firearm offense. During the court proceedings, he expressed deep remorse for the death of his long-time friend. Plummer’s daughter also spoke, describing Jones's actions as a 'foolish yet conscious choice' that had forever altered her family's life. Jones received a sentence of eight years in prison and will be required to serve five years of supervised probation upon his release and register as a gun offender.
