BALTIMORE (WBFF) — The man who was fatally shot Thursday by a squeegee kid after he tried to attack a group of them was identified by police as 48-year-old Timothy Reynolds.
Reynolds, who had a wife and three children, lived in the city's Hampden neighborhood. The family asked for privacy on Friday.
His mother-in-law told FOX45's Keith Daniels that "people should know he was a loving and kind family man."
Reynold worked as a mechanical engineer for a firm in Sparks. His company's website called him a "leader in sustainable buildings and energy efficiency." He had degrees from the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins University.
Reynold's death shocked his quiet North Baltimore neighborhood.
"I just feel bad that it's happened to him and his family and it's just sad that it's done. And nothing can bring him back to his family," said Freda Collavini, a neighbor.
Around 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Reynolds drove his SVU through the intersection of Light and Conway Streets near Inner Harbor and had a "heated interaction," Baltimore police said. Reynolds then pulled over and got out of the car, wielding a baseball bat, police said. Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said he did not know whether Reynolds actually hit the four to five young men at the intersection, but one of them pulled out a gun and shot Reynolds.
Reynolds' baseball bat, covered in blood, was left at the scene.
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Reynolds was taken to a hospital, where he later died. The young men fled on foot before officers arrived. Police say they are still searching for them.
A practice since the 1980s, groups of young men station themselves at busy intersections downtown and clean windshields for tips. Supporters of the teenagers, who mostly live in the city's poorest neighborhoods, say it's the only work for them.
However, many view them as a nuisance and discourage visitors to the city's tourist areas. Oftentimes, the teenager cleans the window without the driver wanting the service. Sometimes the driver doesn't have cash on hand to pay them, leading to conflicts.
ALSO READ | Baltimore police fielded multiple calls involving squeegee kids before fatal shooting
Drivers have reported squeegee kids breaking windshield wipers and smashing windows when they weren't paid. Earlier this year, several drivers reported having money stolen from them via online apps after squeegee boys snatched their mobile phones from their hands.
In more extreme cases, squeegee kids have assaulted drivers or sprayed them with chemicals.
The practice is technically illegal, but the police don't enforce existing city law. The offense if enforce results in a citation.
Currently, social service workers have been dispatched to popular corners to help them find other jobs. The program under Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott has not significantly decreased the number of teens on squeegee corners. Harrison said one of the social workers was working with the young men on Thursday before the shooting.
On Thursday, prominent city and state leaders such as City Councilman Eric Costello, who represents the Inner Harbor, and State Sen. Antonio Hayes have called for stricter enforcement after the shooting.
Councilman Zeke Cohen, who represents Southeast Baltimore, wrote a letter to the mayor's office calling for action.
"Enforcement must take place," Cohen wrote. "The message must be clear that we will do everything within our power to get our children into meaningful employment, but squeegeeing cannot continue."
Metro Crime Stoppers is offering an $8,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of Reynolds' killer. Anyone with information about shooting is asked to contact the tip line at 1-866-7LOCK-UP.
Follow Digital Reporter Tim Swift on Twitter. Send tips to swift@foxbaltimore.com.
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