Baltimore officials and community leaders welcomed the Justice Department’s announcement that it is opening a criminal investigation into Freddie Gray’s death in Baltimore police custody, an incident that continues to spark angry demonstrations, the Baltimore Sun reports. Hundreds demonstrated last evening in front of the Western District police station, where the 25-year-old was taken April 12, before being hospitalized and dying a week later. Protesters wore T-shirts with the slogan #Justice for Freddie and chanted “No justice, no peace.”
Meanwhile, police gave members of a City Council public safety committee updates on the status of their investigation into Gray’s death. After the hearing, Deputy Commissioner Jerry Rodriguez said the Police Department will cooperate fully with the FBI in the federal probe and will hand over copies of all the documents it has. Police are trying to determine whether Gray was properly restrained in a transport van, where officials have said his injuries occurred. Officials and activists said a federal investigation — which will parallel the probe being conducted by local police and prosecutors — was needed. “I think folks have been crying for this,” said City Councilman Nick Mosby.