Damien Claridy was 18 when he was found with gunshot wounds in the 400 block of Gold Street in West Baltimore in the early morning hours of December 30, 2018. He was taken to a local hospital but died of his injuries. Damien was a senior at Excel Academy at Francis M. Wood Alternative High School and was due to graduate in June. He was active in sports — football, wrestling, lacrosse, and basketball — and was remembered by peers and teachers for his athleticism and vibrant personality; his Facebook biography read young & living.

The shooting shocked his school and the wider community and underscored ongoing gun violence affecting young people in the city. There have been no public announcements of arrests or identified suspects in Damien’s murder, and the case remains unresolved. If anyone has information about what happened on Gold Street that night, please come forward.