Baltimore police want your help. They are still trying to find who shot and killed a man on the east side of the city. Officers found 50-year-old Jarrod McGowan shot in the 900 block of East 20th Street. It happened on Saturday, August 1. He died right there. More than two weeks later, no one is in jail for it.
This case matters because it shows how fast things can turn deadly. A simple check on someone turned into a murder case. Now Metro Crime Stoppers wants the public's help so bad they put cash behind it. They hope 8,000 dollars will get someone to talk.
Here is what police say happened. Officers went to check on McGowan that Saturday afternoon. This is called a wellness check. It means police go make sure a person is safe. These checks often start when family or friends have not heard from someone in a while.
Officers went to the East 20th Street address. They found McGowan hurt. He had been shot. Medics rushed to help him. It was too late. He died at the scene.
The shooting happened in East Baltimore's Eastern District. Homicide detectives took the case right away. They have not said who they think did it. They have not named a suspect. They have not said why McGowan was shot.
Metro Crime Stoppers stepped in soon after. The group is now offering 8,000 dollars. That money goes to anyone whose tip leads to charges and an arrest. Groups like Crime Stoppers often step up cash rewards when a case goes cold. They know money can push scared witnesses to speak up.
Cops want tips from anyone who knows something. You can call Baltimore City Police at 410-396-2100. You can also call Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7-LOCKUP. Crime Stoppers tips can be made without giving your name. You do not have to say who you are.
Metro Crime Stoppers works with Baltimore police on cases like this one. Callers can stay anonymous the whole time. If a tip leads to charges and an arrest, the tipster can collect the reward. That is the deal on the table right now for anyone who knows what happened to Jarrod McGowan.
Cases like this one show why the city leans so hard on tip lines and cash rewards. Detectives often have little to go on. They need neighbors to speak up about what they saw or heard. A reward gives people a reason to talk even when they are scared. It also gives them a way to help without putting their name on it.
A wellness check like the one that led police to McGowan is usually meant to end with good news. Someone worried about a loved one calls police. Officers knock on a door and find the person safe. That is not what happened on East 20th Street. Instead, officers walked into a crime scene.
Right now, the case is still open. Police have not said if they have any suspects in mind. They have not said if McGowan knew the person who shot him. No court dates are set because no one has been charged yet. Detectives say they are still working the case. They are checking every tip that comes in.
McGowan's death is one more open case for Baltimore homicide detectives. His family and neighbors are left waiting for answers. So is the whole East 20th Street block where he was found.
El Tejano will update this story if police make an arrest or share new facts about what happened to Jarrod McGowan.
