Background: Surveillance footage of the shooting at the Sunoco gas station on the 4400 block of Park Heights Avenue in Baltimore, Md., on June 7, 2026 (WBAL/YouTube). Inset: Antoine Burton (Baltimore Police Department).
A man tasked with curbing violence on Maryland streets is now accused of shooting someone in the back during an altercation at a gas station, according to officials.
Antoine Burton, aged 51, is currently facing several charges, including attempted first-degree and second-degree murder, as well as first and second-degree assault, complemented by multiple firearms-related charges, as indicated by court documents examined by Law&Crime. He made his court appearance on Tuesday.
The incident occurred on Sunday at a Sunoco gas station situated on Baltimore’s Park Heights Avenue, specifically at the 4400 block, as reported by the Baltimore Police Department. During this event, Burton and a 40-year-old man found themselves together inside the establishment.
Surveillance footage obtained by local NBC affiliate WBAL shows the men wrestling on the floor before the 40-year-old man runs outside, with another man alleged to be Burton in quick pursuit. As the other man keeps running, the pursuer raises a gun and fires twice, hitting the victim once in the leg and once in the back.
Shortly after the shooting, officers managed to apprehend Burton “without incident” on Loyola Northway, a location less than a mile from the scene.
At the time, Burton was employed by Safe Streets Baltimore, a program described as an “evidence-based, public health initiative aimed at reducing gun violence.” Established in 2007, the program’s mission revolves around community outreach, educational efforts, conflict resolution, and violence prevention in designated areas.
Following Burton’s arrest, Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott issued a statement addressing the situation.
“I am furious,” he began, noting that the man who was shot was not killed. “Our hearts are with the victim and their family, and we join them in praying for a full recovery.”
“This individual’s actions are a disgrace,” Scott added of Burton. “He has failed to live up to our standards for frontline community violence intervention staff and violated the trust that is at the very core of what makes violence intervention work overwhelmingly successful. … To be clear: this was an isolated incident and should not be used to undermine the proven work that Safe Streets does each and every day.”
Burton is being held in jail without bond. He is scheduled to reappear in court for a preliminary hearing on July 8.
