The Baltimore Sun from Baltimore, Maryland • A2

THE BALTIMORE SUN NEWS WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2017 Tattoo shop worker killed in Fells Pt. with him and now he's gone," Keaton said Tuesday. Though Forrester did body piercings at the shop, his true passion was his music, Keaton said. Forrester was a bassist in two bands, Foghound and Serpents of Secrecy. He also played for years in a band called Sixty Watt Shaman, according to his Facebook page.

He was an "icon" in the local heavy rock music scene, Keaton said, and also had become known outside Baltimore for his music. Keaton said he first met Forrester while working at the now-closed Memory Lane punk rock music venue in Pigtown. Their friendship continued with Keaton later serving as the officiant at Forrester's wedding several years ago, Keaton said. He said Forrester previously worked in construction, and also held jobs at the Ottobar in Charles Village and as a body piercer at other shops before coming to work for him at the Baltimore Tattoo Museum. "He just seemed to fit in perfectly here," Keaton said.

"He was awesome, just very energetic." Forrester continued working in Baltimore after he moved to Ranson, Keaton said. significant loss," Koczan said. "As much as I've enjoyed his work over the years, I will remember more the sincerity of his character and the wholesome spirit beneath his gruff exterior, and like all who were lucky enough to know him during his time, I will miss Jim." Forrester was the 334th person killed in Baltimore this year. The city has surpassed 300 homicides each of the past three years, after not having reached the mark since the 1990s. About three hours after Forrester was killed, police said a 19-year-old man died in a shooting in the 3500 block of Pelham Ave.

in the Belair-Edison neighborhood. The victim was taken to an area hospital, where he later died. Police have not released his name. No arrests had been made in either homicide. Detectives are attempting to locate witnesses and view video footage to identify a possible suspect.

Anyone with information is asked to call detectives at 410-396-2100, Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP, or text a tip to 443-902-4824. Baltimore Sun reporter Kevin Rector contributed to this article. krectorbaltsun.com twitter.com rectorsun James Forrester stepped outside the store Monday night and was shot By Jessica Anderson The Baltimore Sun James Forrester battled health issues over the past several months, but he kept playing music, most recently at a holiday party over the weekend at the Baltimore Tattoo Museum. "He had a huge passion for what he was doing," said Chris Keaton, Forrester's longtime friend and owner of the Fells Point museum and shop, where Forrester worked as a body piercer. But Monday night, Forrester's life was cut short.

He had stepped outside the shop to call his wife when he was shot in the chest, according to Baltimore police and Keaton. Police said officers were called to the 1500 block of Eastern Ave. about 7:36 p.m. and found Forrester, 43, who was being treated by medics. He was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he died a short time later.

Police have not identified a suspect or a motive in the case. "We're all devastated. We just celebrated Forrester was working Monday night when he stepped outside the shop to call his wife. "She heard him say 'Get away from said Keaton, who spoke with Forrester's wife at the hospital. Forrester's wife could not be reached for comment Keaton said Forrester's wife had supported him through his recent health issues.

Keaton said Forrester has two stepchildren. "It's just so devastating. He's just been fighting to stay alive the whole time," Keaton said. In a recent interview on the Obelisk Radio website, which promotes metal rock bands, Forrester described his recent health issues. He said over Memorial Day weekend, he woke up with "abhorrent abdominal pain," which was later determined to be caused by a blood clot in his liver.

He suffered additional problems but continued performing in his bands, including at the Maryland Doomfest III music festival in Frederick in June. J.J. Koczan, the creator of the Obelisk Radio website, said in a recent post he had known Forrester for years, and that Forrester was eager to move beyond his medical issues and focus on his music. "He was someone second to nobody in passion for what he did, and his death is a Officials voice hope on tunnel project KIM HAIRSTONBALTIMORE SUN Toys for all From left, George Verrett holds a bag as Katelyn Rende of Cumberland selects gifts for her three children with help from Timothy Turnage. Over 100 current patient families enjoyed free shopping at the fourth annual Holiday Toy Shop at the Mount Washington Pediatric Hospital.

Verrett and Turnage, who work in the hospital's maintenance department, assisted shoppers. More than 30 organizations and individuals donated the gifts. Families were also able to choose donated clothing and have their gifts wrapped. Board votes to shut 5 city schools CSX keeping 'open mind' on Howard St. plan, lawmakers say after meeting with CEO By John Fritze The Baltimore Sun WASHINGTON Members of Maryland's congressional delegation and Mayor Catherine Pugh emerged from a meeting with CSX Transportation officials Tuesday encouraged that the railroad is keeping an open mind about whether to proceed with expanding the Howard Street Tunnel.

Though the lawmakers received no commitment from the rail company, both sides vowed to continue discussions. CSX abruptly pulled out of the $425 million project this fall after years of planning by state and federal officials. The project has long been pitched as essential to the port of Baltimore's future growth and as an economic driver for the wider region. Supporters want the larger tunnel to accommodate a growing volume of shipping containers following last year's expansion of the Panama Canal. Underscoring the project's longstanding bipartisan support, the meeting with CSX's acting CEO, Jim Foote, brought together Pugh, a Democrat, and the state's congressional delegation, including its lone Republican, Rep.

Andy Harris of Baltimore County. 'We expressed our disappointment and that's putting it mildly," said Sen. Ben Cardin, a Democrat "The bottom line is Foote agreed to have an open mind." The company, the successor of the Baltimore Ohio Railroad, attributed the decision to back away from the tunnel expansion to an operating plan implemented in May by the company's new CEO, Hunter Harrison. Harrison died last week and Foote has vowed to continue his agenda Cardin said Foote repeated during the closed meeting held in an ornate meeting room on Capitol Hill that CSX does not believe it needs to be able to double-stack containers through the tunnel. He said that the railroad discussed, in broad terms, a number of alternatives that it is considering.

"The people of Maryland and the city are feeling whiplashed because of their reversal," said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, also a Democrat. "The upside of the gathering was a willingness to take a fresh look at the facts, keep an open mind toward the possibility of reconsideration." Pugh applauded the "openness" of the discussion. "The best thing that was said this afternoon was that they would give it some reconsideration, that it was not a final decision at this point," Pugh said. CSX was more circumspect in its reading of the meeting.

In a statement, the company described the discussion as "productive" but did not direcdy answer a question from The Baltimore Sun about whether company officials are "reconsidering" their position. "CSX appreciates the partnership we have developed with the state, city and port and we look forward to continuing the dialogue with them about our plans moving forward," spokesman Bryan Tucker said in an emailed statement. The project, which would have raised the ceiling and lowered the floor of the tunnel, was long considered a goal of both the port of Baltimore and CSX. The railroad and the state had agreed to contribute $270 million, and seek the remaining $155 million from the federal government. john.fritzebaltsun.com twitter.comjfritze Pinderhughes gets reprieve as Sandtown-Winchester residents lobby to keep it By Talia Richman The Baltimore Sun The Baltimore city school board voted Tuesday to close five schools at the end of the year, though district officials postponed a decision on a West Baltimore school that community activists have been fighting to save.

The board voted unanimously to shutter Coldstream Park ElementaryMiddle School, Friendship Academy of Engineering and Technology, Rognel Heights ElementaryMiddle School, Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson ElementaryMiddle School and Knowledge and Success Academy, or KASA. The board also rejected the district's recommendation and decided to renew its contact with Independence School Local a public charter high school, for one year. William Pinderhughes Elementary Middle School in the Sandtown-Winches- A vote on William Pinderhughes has now been delayed until Jan. 23, and city schools CEO Sonja Santelises revised her recommendation.

"As an alternative to the closure recommendation, City Schools will work with the community to create a school for the Sandtown community," she said. Students and parents have spent weeks drumming up support for the school, which they say is a vital community resource. "This is a triumphant victory," said the Rev. Cordy "CD." Witherspoon, an activist whose son is in third grade at Pinderhughes. "And it's a victory this community needed." Pinderhughes operates as a "community school" that provides intensive social services to the families it serves.

The school operates a food pantry, a donated clothing closet and after-school programming. It also offers workshops for parents, including financial literacy classes that assist people in opening up savings accounts, among other skills. Families questioned where they would get those services should the school close. trichmanbaltsun.com twitter.comTaliRichman ter neighborhood received a temporary reprieve from the chopping block amid intense lobbying by the community. In making the closing decisions, the school district cited low enrollment and poor academic performance.

Students and advocates of each school have asked the board to keep the doors open. Teachers from Friendship Academy said it offers unique science, technology, education and mathematics skills. KASA parents said the school provided a strong community for their children. Elected officials spoke out, too. City Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke said the Northeast Baltimore community would be losing the "family" atmosphere provided at Coldstream Park.

The closures were recommended in November as part of an annual review to determine whether to close, merge or relocate some city schools. The district considers academic performance, enrollment and, more recently, a $1 billion initiative to replace Baltimore's aging school infrastructure and build up to 28 new buildings. "This was not an easy process for anybody," said the board chairwoman, Cheryl Casciani. Baltimore 'shooting spree' suspect held without bail that began Dec. 8 and continued throughout the police chase Friday.

Carter had appeared in court for a bail review on Monday, but Assistant Public Defender Rachel Bennett requested a mental health evaluation by the court's Forensic Alternative Services Team, or FAST, citing an alleged suicide attempt by Carter and conversations she had with him in which he seemed confused. Assistant State's Attorney David Chiu had challenged the evaluation as unnecessary, but Judge Kathleen Sweeney said she didn't "see any downside" to ordering the evaluation as Carter was going to be held without bail either way. A FAST evaluator said she had interviewed Carter and "did not have any concerns with his ability to communicate," which he did "clearly and coherently." The evaluator said he seemed to understand what was going on, and was not in distress. Assistant Public Defender Avie Stone said that he had spoken with Carter, and that Carter did not seem to understand the court process. O'Malley, in a courtroom at the District Court on Wabash Avenue, then addressed Carter, appearing via a video link in a yellow jumpsuit at a corrections facility.

She asked Carter if he recalled participating in the previous day's proceeding, where the various charges against him had been read out, and if he recalled his exchange with Sweeney. Carter said he did recall. "You don't have any issues understanding that?" O'Malley asked. "Nope," Carter said. krectorbaltsun.com twitter.com rectorsun By Kevin Rector The Baltimore Sun MauSean Carter, the 30-year-old Baltimore man charged with going on a days-long, fatal "shooting spree" before being captured at the end of a police chase Friday, was ordered held without bail on Tuesday after clearing an initial court-ordered mental evaluation.

Baltimore District Judge Catherine O'Malley said Carter appeared competent and able to understand the bail review proceedings based on the evaluation and his answers to questions she asked him directly over a video-conferencing platform in court Tuesday. O'Malley also said Carter represented an "extreme risk to public safety" in denying him bail in all five of the cases pending against him, each relating to a string of shootings two of them deadly.