Martin O'Malley defends gun control record as Baltimore hits 300 murders this year

Gun control was obviously going to come up during Saturday night’s #DemDebate, if only so we could hear the words “gun show loophole” fed to the eager audience one more time. Former Maryland Governor and Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley spoke of his gun control efforts as some sort of success story, but was challenged by Bernie Sanders, who noted that Baltimore was not the safest city around.

O'Maley hits Clinton on gun control, Sanders gets in a Baltimore dig pic.twitter.com/gXL0tqE4Zp

— Justin Fenton (@justin_fenton) November 15, 2015

"With all due respect, it's fair to say Baltimore is not one of the safest cities in America." — Sanders to former Baltimore Mayor O'Malley

— T.J. Holmes (@tjholmes) November 15, 2015

O’Malley’s timing wasn’t the best, considering that the big news in Baltimore today is that the city just recorded its 300th homicide of the year.

On night of 300th murder, @BernieSanders and @MartinOMalley both present bullshit opportunistic takes on gun violence in MD.

— Baynard Woods (@baynardwoods) November 15, 2015

Baltimore’s 300th killing this year: A violent milestone in a riot-scarred city https://t.co/PBSy6QSdMi

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) November 15, 2015

Sen. Sanders calls O'Malley out on Baltimore being a safe city on the sly side. #Baltimore just had her 300th homicide. #DemDebate

— P. Kenneth Burns (@PKBNews) November 15, 2015

TONIGT on #WJZ #Baltimore reaches grim milestone of violence. Details tonight @cbsbaltimore pic.twitter.com/oSRgzGgESn

— Amy Yensi WJZ (@AmyWJZ) November 15, 2015

The 300 Men March put up anti-violence signs on just about every boarded up home they came across today. #impressive pic.twitter.com/QOCKcV6n57

— MolotovFlicker Ignoring Your Questions Since 1902® (@MolotovFlicker) November 15, 2015

Baltimore's 2015 murder rate currently sits at 47 per 100,000 people, second only to St. Louis. https://t.co/rBxd7de0Uq

— The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) November 15, 2015

#Baltimore has just had its 300th murder…..it must stop NOW

— jamalbryant (@jamalhbryant) November 15, 2015

Did we say 300th? We meant 301st.

Baltimore Police confirm homicide 301. 22 year old in Westport neighborhood.

— Ian Duncan (@iduncan) November 15, 2015

A fatal shooting in Westport brings the city's homicide count to 301. https://t.co/rBxd7de0Uq

— The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) November 15, 2015