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Maryland Governor Tours Riot Damage; Police and Crowds Gather in Streets Today; Baltimore Police Update Security Situation. Aired 2- 2:30p ET

Aired April 28, 2015 - 14:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


[14:00:09] ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.

BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, here we go, top of the hour. I'm Brooke Baldwin. You're watching CNN's special live coverage here from the city of Baltimore.

I'm standing in front of Baltimore City Hall. Just a heads up, we're watching obviously a lot this afternoon.

First and foremost, any minute now, we are expecting a news conference which will take live not too far from where I'm standing at the Baltimore City police headquarters. We expect to hear from the Police Commissioner here, Anthony Batts.

So that will happen. We'll take that live. But perspective -- I mean, 24 hours -- not even 24 hours after violence erupted here. You watched it all play out live on CNN -- the riots, the arson, the looting, all of this in the wake of this death of this young 25-year- old man, Freddie Gray, who died in police custody.

The question, why? Why did that happen? Unrelated to the why, as you would hear from a lot of people here in Baltimore, is what's been happening here -- the violence, the criminal activity.

Today, I just got into town a couple of hours ago. I can tell you, I was able to get around East Baltimore, West Baltimore, massive crowds in West Baltimore. That is just adjacent to the CVS, which you saw burned last night.

That's the CVS where you saw some of those rioters cutting the -- the -- the hose to -- to at least help put out that fire at that CVS, massive crowds already there, here this afternoon. So far, being in touch with police, they haven't reported too much in terms of any kind of rioting thus far.

At least what I can tell you, what I saw with my own eyes, peaceful protesting happening here in the city of Baltimore. In fact, some people joining in a circle of prayer.

Here is what we know as far as the city is concerned. It's now under a state of emergency.

Today, schools closed. A couple of federal offices will be closing early today. And a mandatory curfew fewer than eight hours away.

All right, I'm being told, what we're looking at now, this is a helicopter. And you have the governor of Maryland here.

And I believe I actually saw this helicopter not too long ago here in the -- the beautiful blue skies of Baltimore, taking a look, touring the damage, touring the description of the destruction, the aftermath, as we saw, the charred remains. I was standing around an area.

I was at a senior -- would have been senior housing -- 60 units of senior housing in East Baltimore. And I can tell you, it is still smoldering, charred and still smoldering, not even 24 hours later.

So we're watching that helicopter, taking the governor around. All of this here today in reaction to this violence, not seen in this city for nearly half a century. The mayor's office says -- let me throw some numbers at you as I'm looking at this helicopter myself, at least -- there have been at least 235 arrests, a hundred 44 card fires, 19 different buildings here in this city have been torched, including a senior center.

This is what I was just referencing which we're going to show you a little later in this hour. The senior center in the middle of these communities, it was supposed to provide 60 units of low-income housing which, by the way, had a price tag of $16 million according to this reverend who started this fundraising effort, gone.

President Obama speaking out about Baltimore just in the last hour saying that his thoughts are with the police officers here. At least 15 of them injured in all this unrest.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: They're stealing. When they burn down a building, they're committing arson.

And they're destroying and undermining businesses and opportunities in their own communities that rob jobs and opportunity from people in that area.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That was the President this Afternoon, again, live pictures of the governor here -- Governor Larry Hogan, taking a tour of some of the destruction in the city of Baltimore, which we'll show through the course of the next two hours. These thieves, these vandals, these criminals struck at perhaps the most vulnerable time for Freddie Gray's family here, just as they were burying this young man.

And keep in mind, we have heard from his family. And they have pleaded with the city, stop. Please keep the peace, even though, as I mentioned, questions remain over how Gray's spine was severed after he was arrested.

His sister says all of this destruction goes against everything Freddie Gray would have wanted. Keep that in mind. All of this here began, police believe, after a local high school dismissed class.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: Baltimore police standing shoulder-to-shoulder, looks like with batons, protesters on one side, backing up, some of them with their hands up. They are throwing rocks into the air almost like a popcorn popper.

That's how many rocks and larger items seem to be in the air. A police officer clearly hurt here. Look at that.

Do you see that? The police are saying, "Move back." See as they walk along, they're say, "Move back."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're looking at live pictures of a CVS Pharmacy being effectively looted. You see a crowd there going in and out of that pharmacy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The air is acrid. I can tell you, I mean, look at it this way. This is yet another fire right up this way.

It looks -- smells like a car, certainly looks like it might be another car burning. Very, very hard to breathe in this area right now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the CVS Pharmacy that was looted. It's destroyed. And it looks like it's now on fire.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The hose that you see there at the end of the police line, to the left of the police line, we watched them hook that up in a -- in a very fast and professional way. And then as soon as the firefighters walked away or turned their backs, somebody walked up with a knife and cut holes -- two holes into that fire hose.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, I want you to be really careful over there because it looks like (ph) the police are moving closer and closer.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police again are moving in...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're moving in. This could get even more ugly.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ...trying to get control of that -- of that -- those hoses so that they can continue to get water on -- on that -- on that fire. But it is -- this is a city that is out of control.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What you are looking at there now where you're told, is a massive fire in a multistory, newly constructed building in East Baltimore? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: First (ph) there was a worshipper (ph) that showed up. Maxwell motioned to climb (ph), wonder (ph) who did this to their church.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What we're seeing isn't anger. It's destruction of a community. We will bring order.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't think anybody in Baltimore believes that anything is in control.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BALDWIN: That was then, let's go to what's happening right now. Let me go to my colleague, CNN'S Ryan Young. He is in the midst of some of these crowds here on Baltimore City streets.

Ryan, first, tell me exactly where you are and what people there are saying to you.

RYAN YOUNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we are across from the CVS as people are stretching arms out, interlocking to keep a barrier between the police officers and the crowd. You see the men formed the original line.

And now, there are people who are stretching the line through. You can see people of all different nationalities and races.

I can tell you, I've been talking with these two gentlemen who have been here most of the afternoon.

Just wanted to ask, what was important about being here (inaudible) between the police and the rest of the crowd?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, the country so far has been seeing a police presence here in Baltimore City. We want the world as well as the rest of the country to know that you have strong, black men that live in this community.

And we'll protect this community to the death. Most of the things you've been seeing are the negativity here in Baltimore. We have piles (ph) of people here.

This brother, Aaron, right here, people from white, black, all heights (ph), all over this community, positivity.

YOUNG: (Inaudible) community, you said it hurt your heart (inaudible) to see what was (ph) going on.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, definitely. I've lived here over 30 years. And the city is like it's devastating because I understand the -- the youths, their frustration.

But I also understand that there is a better way. But hopefully, today, what we're doing by forming this line is letting everybody know that there is a silver lining outside of all of this, and that there are in the midst of everything that is being painted (ph), that there are positive black men that actually want to do something, that actually want to make a better living, you know.

YOUNG: I appreciate that. I mean, one of the things that we pointed out were the young people who have walked out. They have traded rocks for signs.

You can a sign like that that said, "Freddie didn't die in vain, civil rights today." And then if you look back this direction, you can see the music that is being played that's in front of us.

This has been going on for over two hours now, people staying together, sort of chanting and singing. They've been singing songs together -- really changed the whole vibe and atmosphere of this entire community so far.

So it was just one of those things that people wanted to make sure that, you know, it was -- hold on one second. Hold on one second.

So one of the things is -- somebody was yelling at us in the crowd here, who wanted to getting on TV. But look, you could see how they stand (ph) at the perimeter.

And if you see this perimeter, this has stopped any sort of connection between police and the people who maybe were angry before who were yelling at the police. That has been totally torn away.

In fact, this young man here has been organizing songs in the crowd. You've been organizing songs. Why did you want people to start singing in this crowd?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, I think that as humanity, we possess a natural peace. We possess a natural spirit of unity.

As humanity, I think we were created to -- to live in harmony, to live in peace. And every morning I wake up, I try to -- to execute a life of peace, to execute a life of harmony because I want -- I want everybody to live in that peace for a second.

[12:10:05] YOUNG: But when we saw the crowd and we saw people of all different nationalities coming together, what hit your heart in terms of how this has changed 24 hours later?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I think -- I think what we saw yesterday was merely emotion. It was only emotion. I think the issue -- the problem that we have is when the mayor got on the news -- national news, and openly and in one sentence called her children thugs.

You can't -- you can't call the children thugs and your children of the city all at the same time. And so in essence, these children, they made a mess.

But they were really trying to relay a message. And so we get that message that they just don't want to be forgotten.

They want to be heard.

YOUNG: But wasn't it the wrong message, to burn down -- what was burned down yesterday?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sometimes, when we get upset, we do things that we shouldn't do. We're not saying that it was appropriate behavior.

But let's dig to the root of the behavior. What caused this behavior so that we can -- we can come out here and we can clean it up.

We can clean up this CVS and clean up this check cashing place. But if we don't deal with the root, it's going to come right back.

We'll have the same issue all over again.

YOUNG: Yes, I appreciate that so much. Thank you so much. God bless you.

So look (ph), so we walk back this direction, you can see progress is already happening across the street of the CVS. Men have been working all afternoon to clear it out.

And that has been going on. That's, in fact, the second or third dumpster that's been going.

But the tension really has been removed from this intersection.

BALDWIN: Yes, Ryan, I was just where you were not an hour ago. And I think one of the things that really struck me and driving in was all of the young families who were actually there with garbage bags, picking up, you know, the bottles and the bricks and the -- the debris all from last night. It's also interesting, sort of following up on -- on that young man's

perspective, I mean, yes, we heard the mayor say the word "thugs." And I am not the mayor.

But I think, you know, we have to be really clear, there were rioters and there were criminals. And then there were peaceful protesters which is who's surrounding you, you know, right now.

Ryan Young, we're going to stay in close contact with you there because that really is the epicenter this afternoon as far as what's going on here in Baltimore. Ryan, stay with me.

I mean, tell me -- there is this curfew in place tonight, incredibly peaceful where you are. In fact, I was -- I was doing something on camera that it go (ph) and this young woman jumped in at my shot and said, "We're peaceful. We're peaceful."

But still, you talk to others, and despite this curfew, they're worried that when the sun starts going down, the -- the tone will shift. What are you hearing?

YOUNG: I think -- I think everybody's worried about that because there's been talk on the internet. But when you see some of the older gentlemen coming out and trying to make a stand and talking to young people, there's been a lot of counseling going on within this crowd.

It hasn't just been people standing around. There have been people having a conversation about changing the conversation because what they're upset about is that so many people were not focused on the thousands of people who were protesting, that just those few moments of what happened here, which really put a lot of people in awe, was really overwhelmed with the conversation here.

And that's what they wanted to change. You can't change the fact that that CVS is now gone.

And there are people who are in this community who are older, who can't get their medication. That is something that a lot of people here in this community are upset about because what are you going to do when grandma can't get a medication.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Right. That is not progress. That is not -- that is -- that is no good.

YOUNG: That is not progress, exactly.

BALDWIN: That is no good burning down the CVS, right?

YOUNG: Exactly.

BALDWIN: You read "The Baltimore Sun" this morning, they quoted...

YOUNG: Exactly.

BALDWIN: ...someone was there, well, saying, look, you burned down this business in our community. You are taking our jobs away.

YOUNG: And that is the exact point that the men who were standing on the line are trying to make. You've got to stop taking away from the community.

There's ways to express yourself without burning and throwing rocks because look, if you start throwing rocks at officers and you have something like that happen again, no one's going to talk about what's going on here.

Now, if you look behind us, you could see -- oh, now -- now, this young man has shown up and has thrown -- he has thrown a bottle at the cops. And now, because of that, the cops have -- the crowd is actually managing him.

He is the first person who has shown up in this crowd. And if you notice, everybody here said, no.

They threw their hands up. He is the first person that we've seen who's shown up trying to throw something at the officers.

BALDWIN: Which is absolutely unacceptable -- which is absolutely unacceptable. And it's precisely how all of would have sort of malaise (ph) started last night with those -- those high-schoolers who were let out of class, you know, wanted to take part in the so-called purge. Ryan, we're -- just to remind our viewers here, as you're still up in

a tube box (ph), and we're talking to you and taking a look at these -- these demonstrators and police and young people as well in West Baltimore. Also just a heads-up, we're watching and waiting to hear from the Baltimore Police Commissioner, Anthony Batts, who will be holding a news conference any minute now.

We've been watching that live picture of that podium. So as soon as we see him address again what we saw last night, probably warn people in this city, don't even think about doing that tonight.

Ryan, did you see some of those young families?

[12:15:02] I mean, I think I was just really struck where you are -- I mean, young kids with their -- with their fathers from different parts of, you know, Baltimore trying to right the wrong, pick up, you know, the -- the mess that was left last night.

YOUNG: We've got a movement (ph). Here we go. This young man -- this young -- this young man is back again.

He has decided that he wants to throw something at officers. The officers are moving in.

He is now going to be arrested. Here we go. Here we go. So one person -- one person -- one person has turned this entire this quiet area -- we are being sprayed with mace.

We are being sprayed with pepper spray. So this calm thing has turned over very quickly.

I just got sprayed back in my face. The cops will be able to do this. It definitely does hurt.

So you can see how quickly one person can turn this whole thing around. The cops, once they were hit by that...

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Ryan, I want you -- are you OK?

YOUNG: ...spray back into the crowd. It hurts a little bit. But...

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Ryan, let me -- let me cut you off.

YOUNG: ...we're going to walk (ph) for a little bit.

(CROSSTALK)

BALDWIN: Let me cut you off. I want you to -- I want you to be OK and grab some water to you and your crew. We're going to pull away from that.

Let's go to the news conference. Let's listen to the (ph) Police Commissioner here in city of Baltimore.

ERIC KOWALCZYK, POLICE SPOKESMAN: Local, regional and state partners, and right now, we're also having partners officers from Washington, D.C. We're incredibly thankful for the support of our partners to help us.

We're deploying to critical infrastructure sites, locations that have experienced previous incidents of lawlessness and areas where investigative efforts tell us we need to be.

We will respond quickly and efficiently to incidents that take place. But again, we are hoping that we don't see any of those today.

Right now, we know that a minimum of our officers have been injured during the course of the lawlessness that took place. We expect that that number might be a little bit higher.

But we've had reports that our officers have sustained minor injuries, did not want to come off the line, did not want to go seek medical treatment. They wanted to stay with their other law enforcement officers and continue to help protect the city of Baltimore.

We know that there were a hundred and 44 vehicle fires. And we know that there's one person who is in critical condition as a result of a structure fire.

I would refer you to the fire department to get the total number of fires that took place last night. Right now, there is a large crowd at North Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue. That crowd is peaceful. And that's what we're used to seeing in

Baltimore. There's a group of people that come together peacefully to express their concern, to voice their frustrations and to do so in a peaceful manner.

And we hope that that's what we continue to see. I want to remind everyone that we have a 10:00 curfew this evening.

And that is in effect until 5:00 tomorrow morning. And we will be enforcing that curfew. I think it's very appropriate right now to thank all the people in the community.

We've received e-mails, text messages, messages on our social media from people across the country, across the state. In the city, we've had people bringing our officers food and water as they're out in various neighborhoods.

We want to thank them for that. We're very thankful for the -- for the show of support from our community.

I think everyone in Baltimore is looking forward to -- to peace returning. And again, we want to extend our thanks to our regional partners, to the National Guards, everyone that's in the city right now, helping to keep us safe.

With that, I'll take some questions. QUESTION: Captain, some of your own officers say that there were warnings that danger (ph) (inaudible) that they needed more help after the violence Saturday night. Why wasn't more help here before yesterday's violence?

KOWALCZYK: You know, I think that there's -- this is clearly what people want to talk about. I think that it's important to add a degree of context.

When we deployed our officers yesterday, we were deploying for a high school event. I don't think that there is anyone in the country that would expect us to deploy automatic weapons and armored vehicles to an event with 13, 14, and 15-year-olds.

That's not what people expect from their police department. What we saw that turned (ph) into yesterday was an incident that escalated in violence. And the age group of the people involved increased as well.

So as of today, with our 235 arrests, we know that 34 of them are juveniles, and 201 were adults. So clearly, the dynamic of that situation changed.

You saw us adapt our techniques throughout the day yesterday to address that situation, to address that concern. And where we are today, where we've called in support from all of our regional partners and where we have that support, we're deploying it right now.

[14:20:03] QUESTION: Are you confident that after (ph) last night, you're prepared as well (ph)?

KOWALCZYK: What I can tell you is that we have officers that are deployed to our hot spots, that we have our regional partners and the National Guard at strategic locations and critical infrastructure, that we have the ability to respond quickly to incidents of lawlessness that take place. And again, it's about creating context.

One of the questions that we got is there's been this comparison to all of the (ph) locations. In all the locations, the incidents have been contained to one area.

What we saw last night was a group of people take advantage of the situation, of a very unfortunate situation and use that to tear down their own neighborhoods, to destroy the businesses in their own communities. And that's -- that's a different dynamic than in other places.

So our deployment today is to be able to respond to those sorts of incidents.

QUESTION: Like there was yesterday, there's a lot of social media talking about Ferguson (inaudible) location (ph). How seriously are you taking those?

Are you looking into beefing up security in (ph) those (ph) places?

KOWALCZYK: You know, I think any threat that comes in right now, any bit of information is going to be examined for its credibility and for its voracity. We're going to continue to do investigative work.

You know, the -- we -- we put out that release the other day that we had arrested the individual who destroyed our police car. Much like that, we're going to do investigative work.

We have detectives right now that are going to look through videotape for the people that were engaged in lawless activity last night. And we're going to find those people and arrest them.

We're also going be looking at various intelligence sources and various sources (ph) of information so that we can do whatever we can to mitigate future incidents.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) state police?

KOWALCZYK: The police commissioner is in the watch center right now commanding the resources that are on the ground and directing our response to incidents. But again, right now, what I want to say that we're very thankful for is that we have that large group at North Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue, that they're peaceful.

That's the Baltimore that we're used to seeing. That's the Baltimore that we hope to continue to see throughout the rest of tonight.

QUESTION: Could you tell us about (inaudible) tonight, how (inaudible)?

KOWALCZYK: So we know that the curfew is in effect from 10:00 -- 10:00 at night until 5:00 in the morning. So unless you're engaged in some work or you're on your way to receive medical treatment, you're not allowed to be out.

Obviously, that's going to be enforced. We're going to -- we have a tremendous number of resources throughout the city.

And we will enforce that curfew to make sure that our city stays safe throughout the night so we don't have the same sorts of incidents that took place yesterday.

QUESTION: Coming out of a restaurant at (ph) 10:00?

KOWALCZYK: You know, I don't -- I don't want to get into very specific situations. I don't want to speculate about what that looks like.

We could come up with a hundred different situations. I think there's a degree of common sense that our officers are going to employ.

But at the same time, this is about making sure that the city is safe. There is a 10:00 curfew.

We've repeatedly put out that there's this 10:00 curfew. So we're -- we're telling people to please stay off the streets after 10:00 unless you're on your way to receive either medical treatment or you're coming from work.

QUESTION: (Inaudible).

KOWALCZYK: So we've obviously received a large number of calls for service. We're going to need to get to all of those calls for service.

We're going to investigate the incidence of crime that took place in our city. I think one of the things that we want to make clear is that we have an obligation to protect life.

I'm sorry, there's a siren behind me. We have an obligation to protect life. And by protecting life, by making sure that our citizens are safe and that our officers are safe, that is how we move to protect property.

That is how we move to prevent other acts of lawlessness from taking place. So we'll get to those calls for service.

We will investigate the criminal acts that took place. We'll do everything that we can to make sure that we're putting resources in right place at the right time.

QUESTION: One more question (ph), you just opened up (ph)...

QUESTION: (Inaudible).

KOWALCZYK: So I know that this morning, we've made a total of -- I think what we have right now is about a dozen arrests. We'll get more for (ph) our (ph) numbers as we move forward.

It looks right now like it's seven adults and five children or five juveniles, rather, that were arrested. We'll get the specifics on the incidence of that.

We're going to investigate reports of -- of criminal activity as they take place. I think it's very

important not to lump all the criminal activity that takes place in the city into one that this is all connected.

We're going to look at the incidents as they are and then respond to them as they come in. We will be doing...

(CROSSTALK)

QUESTION: Sir (ph) (inaudible).

KOWALCZYK: Give me one second. We're going to be -- we're going to make every effort to do hourly briefings from now until at least 9:00 tonight so that we can continue to update you with information as we're able to get it.

Justin and I will go look into that. And if we have anything more on that, I'll put that out. Thank you all very much.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, so again, let me give you the spelling of his name. That's Captain Eric (ph) Kowalczyk... [14:25:05] BALDWIN: All right, so you just heard a quick update here from police captain, Baltimore City police, running through some of the numbers as far as arrests and injuries for his own officers and calling, you know, what he has seen thus far this afternoon peaceful. And obviously, he juxtaposed that with what we've seen playing out in the other part of our screen and our own correspondent who was covering in West Baltimore right by that burned down CVS.

It appeared not at all peaceful. It's -- it's incredible how something can just change on a dime. So I've got Ryan Young.

We're going to go to him in just a moment. But first, let me bring in Colonel Charles Kohler. He's with the Maryland National Guard.

Sir, can you hear me?

COL. CHARLES KOHLER, MARYLAND NATIONAL GUARD: Yes, I can. How are you?

BALDWIN: All right, excellent. I'm -- I'm all right, although I'm a little -- let me just begin with what's happening here in the city.

We just saw a perfect example, I mean, I was out in that part of West Baltimore, perfectly peaceful. One person starts throwing bottles.

And the next thing you know it -- it changes. I mean, can you talk to me just a little bit about the -- the dynamics shifting and as a member of law -- and as a member of law enforcement, this is the moment -- moments ago, how -- how it shifts and how you handle, how you want to keep the calm, keep the peace, protect the people, but at the same time, stop this from happening.

KOHLER: Well, it's a very difficult task. And we're working very closely with Baltimore City police and state police.

And they're doing an outstanding job of, you know, trying to minimize the amount of force that they're using necessary to control the situation. That's really what we need to do is make sure that you try and control the situation with minimal amount of force necessary to keep things under control.

BALDWIN: What will the city look like with National Guard, with state police, with Baltimore police and -- and a number of other jurisdictions? I know they're coming in tonight to help enforce this 10:00 p.m. curfew.

KOHLER: Well, obviously, we're hoping for the best. We've planned for the worst. But we -- we're hoping for the best.

And we want to make sure that we do everything we can necessary that we're able to respond as quickly as possible for the situation that arises. Our job is to make sure that we, like I said, respond to the police's request for assistance.

We're working side by side with them. We're providing logistical support as well as providing additional personnel to their missions. NEWMAN: What's your biggest challenge in a situation like this? You have seen how violent it can get.

We're all holding our breath that we've see nothing like that this evening. Well, what's challenge number one, sir?

KOHLER: Well, the challenge is that obviously, the situation can change so quickly. And I think you just saw that.

Well, you've got personnel (ph) that are out on the street and something can simply spark a situation and that it can change immediately, where one, for instance, you may have people that are interacting with the police and the National Guardsmen that are on the -- standing there on the frontline that are peaceful and demonstrating and trying to ensure that everybody stays peaceful. And then someone from behind does something that can cause the situation to change dramatically.

And that's our -- our biggest fear because you'd have people that are -- you know, want to do peaceful demonstrations. And then you have some people that are antagonistic.

They want to cause trouble. And that's -- that's the biggest concern that we've got.

BALDWIN: Right, which unfortunately, we witnessed all too much of last -- last evening. Colonel Kohler, thank you so much, with the Maryland National Guard.

Let's go back to that scene, back to Ryan Young in the West part of the city.

And Ryan, first and foremost to you, my friend, are you OK?

YOUNG: That pepper spray really burned. I can tell you the crowd was doing a good job taking care of the one young man who police decided to take.

Right now, we have protesters who have shown up with other agendas. And they are really kind of fracturing the calm that was here.

In fact, we have people who have decided to go on the other side of the line. And now, they're having individual arguments about what this protest is about, people who are not aligned to the same ideas about Mr. Freddie Gray.

So that's what the argument is. As you can see, this group right here has organized and made sure that they grab the crowd back as police officers started shooting their pepper spray.

I can honestly tell you, if it wasn't for the men in the black shirts over here taking control of the crowd, this could have been close to another situation because people were upset. They decided to spray the pepper spray onto the crowd, even after that one gentleman was arrested. My photographer's eyes swollen because of the pepper spray. My neck's on fire. We were lucky to find some water that we could actually share with some of the people who were out, who had their eyes burned.

But this crowd is trying to maintain this line right here to make sure that there is peace between this crowd and the officers. So far, the relative calm is going on because the crowd has decided, they want to make sure this remains peaceful.