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Ernest Smith, 33, was arrested on Tuesday, March 22 and charged with the murder of Keith Hughes Jr., Baltimore City Police said. He is being held at Central Booking and is waiting to see a court commissioner, police said.
Police found two adult males, including Hughes, 37, shot in the 1800 block of E. Lafayette Avenue just before 4 p.m. on July 5, 2021, police said. Hughes was taken to John Hopkins Hospital where he later died.
After homicide detectives took control of the investigation, they identified Smith, who was 32 at the time, as the shooter.
Following Hughes' death, his aunt, Bessie Bright, criticized city officials for their lack of control over Baltimore's persistent gun violence, WBFF reports.
"The low level crimes lead to big crimes," Bright told the outlet. "I hope you don't think big crimes just start. Don't nobody say, boom, let's go to this big crime. The small crimes will lead to the big crimes."
Bright requested personal meetings with Mayor Brandon Scott and State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby in the wake of her nephew's death who she considered to be "more like a son," the outlet reports.
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