Man arrested attempting to flee the country after killing teen

The tragic death of Izaiah Carter, a 16-year-old student at Patterson High School in Baltimore, has left his family, friends, and community in shock.

On March 6, Izaiah was shot in the head at Joseph E. Lee Park near the school, and was pronounced dead at the hospital. His funeral is scheduled for Tuesday, two days after the arrest of Roger Alexander Alvarado-Mendoza, the 23-year-old suspect in the shooting.

The Baltimore Police Department was given witness information that Mendoza was attempting to flee the country, and worked with Texas authorities to have him detained.

An arrest warrant was obtained and approved, and the police are now working to extradite him back to Baltimore. Mendoza was previously arrested in Baltimore in 2018 and has a previous arrest in the state of Florida. It is unclear what Mendoza’s immigration status is, and he was not attending the school.

The incident is yet another reminder of the level of violence that continues to plague Baltimore.

At least seven Baltimore City Public School students have been killed by gun violence in 2023, and the police, mayor, and community are all working together to bring those who harm others and perpetuate violence to justice.

Michelle Hines, Izaiah’s mother, expressed her shock and disbelief at the news of her son’s death. “None of this feels real. I knew it couldn’t be a joke because nobody would ever joke like this,” she said.

The arrest of Mendoza is a small step towards justice for Izaiah and his family, but it does not make up for the tragedy of his death.