Suspect arrested in killing of 16-year-old Izaiah Carter, say police

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — Baltimore City Police have an arrest in the shooting death of a 16-year-old city school student killed earlier this month.

Police say they have arrested 23-year-old Roger Mendoza. He was arrested in Texas Sunday, March 19.

16-year-old Izaiah Carter was killed on March 6. According to Baltimore Police, officers responded to Joseph Lee Park around 2 p.m.that day after reports of a shooting.Officers found Carter unresponsive and with gunshot wounds.

The accused killer was caught Sunday in south Texas.

"As part of our investigation we were given witness information that our person of interest was in Texas and was attempting to flee the country," said Michael Harrison, Baltimore City Police Department Commissioner.

So far this year, seven city school students have been killed including D'asia Garrison--the first person killed in Baltimore city this year on New Year's Day.

16-year-old Deonta Dorsey was killed outside the Edmondson Village Shopping Center in January. Four other students were hurt in that shooting.

Then, just days after that, 15-year-old La'ron Henderson was killed in an alley just blocks from Forest Park High School.

But now, in the murder of another student there's word of an arrest with Mayor Brandon Scott, like others, frustrated over the killings.

"Yes, when we talk about young people, people are especially going to be fed up when we're talking about kids who we know haven't even started to scratch the surface of what potential that they can grow into be," said Scott.

According to Baltimore City Schools, Carter was a member of the junior ROTC.

Police said Mendoza was trying to flee the country, but was caught before he could. Harrison also said that Mendoza had been arrested in Baltimore in 2018 and had also been arrested in Florida. Mendoza's immigration status is also part of the investigation, according to Harrison.

According to online court records, Mendoza was arrested for a burglary in 2018. He pled guilty in February of 2019.

"This incident is yet another tragic reminder of the level of violence that continues to trouble our city," said Harrison.

Police say they are working on extraditing Mendoza to Baltimore.