Man Receives 60-Year Sentence for Attempted Murder of His Sister and Her Boyfriend

Baltimore, Md. (June 21, 2024) - This week, a Baltimore City judge sentenced Michael Harris to 70 years, suspend all but 60 years, with five years of probation upon release for two counts of Second Degree Attempted Murder after shooting his sister and her boyfriend multiple times. The defendant was on probation for Second Degree Rape at the time and had only been released for six months before the shooting occurred. At sentencing, the Judge stated on the record that the “facts indicate that the defendant hunted the victims down and was ready to shoot…it was a planned out and calculated act.” The Office of the State's Attorney for Baltimore City's Gun Violence Enforcement Division (GVED) prosecuted this case. 

“This week, justice was served in Baltimore. The fact that this defendant so quickly recidivated demonstrates a complete disregard for the law and human life," said State's Attorney Ivan J. Bates. "I applaud our GVED unit and our partners at BPD for helping to secure this lengthy sentence and remove this dangerous offender from our streets. I hope that this sentence brings some measure of closure to the victims and their families. No sentence can fully heal the trauma and pain they have endured, but we believe this outcome ensures that the defendant will no longer be able to harm others."

On November 9, 2022, at 6:36 p.m., Baltimore Police responded to the intersection of E. Madison and Edison Highway for the report of a shooting. Upon arrival at the scene, there were no victims immediately located; however, a short time later, a crime scene was located at 3201 E. Madison Avenue that consisted of 12 9mm spent shell casings and a trail of blood leading into the parking lot of the Tire King tire shop. A few minutes later, two victims walked into the Johns Hopkins Emergency Department, including a woman suffering from gunshot wounds to the right side of her face and a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his body.

During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that the woman's brother, Michael Harris, had become irate over her allegedly getting assaulted the day prior by her boyfriend. On the day of the shooting, the woman had a vehicle towed to the Tire King garage and was awaiting service when the defendant and an unknown black male walked into the parking lot with guns and demanded that she move away from her boyfriend. The woman refused to move, and both the defendant and the unknown male began shooting at her and her boyfriend, striking them both. The woman managed to get herself and her boyfriend to the hospital for treatment; both were deemed to be in critical condition. 

The defendant was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition at the time of the incident after being convicted of Second Degree Rape in September 2018 in Baltimore City Circuit Court and Armed Robbery in September 2015 in Baltimore County Circuit Court.