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From Baltimore to Billtown, Reaction to Violence

WILLIAMSPORT — The images of riots, looting, and fires are dramatic. And while Baltimore is more than 160 miles away, some people in Williamsport said the...

WILLIAMSPORT -- The images of riots, looting, and fires are dramatic. And while Baltimore is more than 160 miles away, some people in Williamsport said their hearts are with those in Charm City.

"It's devastating. I saw it on Facebook. My nephew has pictures. He lives down there, so it's heartbreaking. I have family there. It's just heartbreaking to see that, you know," said Shanna Lawrence of Williamsport.

The fires and violence in Baltimore come after the arrest and death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray, a black man. Across the country, there have been protests in cities like Ferguson, Missouri and New York City after the deaths of black men during incidents with police.

"I just wish there would be a stop to it. It's scary. You just wonder. It's like it's happening all over though. I mean, not to that extent, but it's just scary that it has gotten to that point," said Clara Whaley of Williamsport.

Seth Goodman lives in Williamsport now. About seven years ago, he moved from Baltimore, the city he called home for nearly a decade.

"I'm not actually surprised. I mean there's been a lot of tension with the cops for decades and you think back to the riots in the '60s, and you know, it's a city that is obviously a poor city and there's been kind of marginalized groups for most of its history," he said.

Some of the people Newswatch 16 spoke with said what they think is important for people to remember is that what's happening in Baltimore could happen elsewhere.

"It is happening to our African American men and it's the reason that it's happening with the police and I believe with some racial profiling. We definitely need awareness because it's happening everywhere and a lot of times it was kept under wraps because we didn't have social media and the cell phones to take pictures," said Lawrence.

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