By The Associated Press
A spokesman says Monday’s riot is the first time the Maryland National Guard has been called up for a civil disturbance in the state since 1968, when Baltimore erupted in violence after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Guard spokesman Lt. Charles Kohler says about 500 guardsmen are being deployed in Baltimore on Tuesday, and the force will build to about 2,000 though the day. He says that can build to 5,000, and officials also could call on Guard forces in neighboring states.
Riots broke out in the city hours after the funeral for Freddie Gray. The 25-year-old died of a spinal injury days after being taken into police custody.
Guardsmen are called up about once a year for a state of emergency such as a large snow storm or hurricane. That usually involves about 600 members — though about 2,000 were called up for President Barack Obama’s inauguration.
In 1968, the state called up 6,000 Guardsmen, and 2,000 federal troops were called in to help too.
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9 a.m.
On Tuesday morning, Republican Gov. Larry Hogan surveyed the scene at a West Baltimore intersection that hours earlier had been littered with burning cars, a smashed police vehicle, broken glass and thick plumes of smoke billowing from a looted convenience store.
Hogan shook the hands of people who had shown up early to help sweep the streets after rioting erupted in the city Monday, hours after the funeral for Freddie Gray. The 25-year-old died of a spinal injury days after being taken into police custody.
He said: “We’re not going to leave the city unprotected.”
He added that he’s called in hundreds of state troopers and potentially thousands of National Guardsmen to help secure the city after a night of riots.
Hogan said: “The city is safer than it was before, and we’re going to continue to build that presence all day.”
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8:25 a.m.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan is temporarily moving his office from the state capital, Annapolis, to Baltimore on Tuesday after rioting and fires broke out in the city.
Hogan spokeswoman Erin Montgomery says the governor will visit sites around the city Tuesday morning and plans to work out of state offices in downtown Baltimore with Cabinet members and senior staffers.
Rioting erupted in the city Monday, hours after the funeral for Freddie Gray. The 25-year-old died of a spinal injury days after being taken into police custody.
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8 a.m.
The Maryland Transit Administration says it’s bypassing several subway stations and closing at least one bus station because of police activity in areas of Baltimore.
Rioting erupted around the city Monday, hours after the funeral for Freddie Gray. The 25-year-old died of a spinal injury days after being taken into police custody. National Guard troops took up positions in the city, and cleanup was beginning early Tuesday morning.
The transit agency announced its changes in service Tuesday morning. Public schools in the city are closed for the day, and several neighboring districts said they would cancel any scheduled field trips to Baltimore.
A citywide curfew will be in effect from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
