Baltimore man seriously wounds 2 squeegee kids after mom robbed in app scam, documents say

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — A 26-year-old man, who was arrested on attempted murder charges last month, targeted his victims because he thought the squeegee kids stole from his mother using a cash-app scam, according to the charging documents.

Zhamiel Dixon is accused of wounding a 17-year-old boy and a 23-year-old man on May 19 in an alley in the 2400 block of Edmondson Avenue, police said.

According to the document, Dixon approached three young people who were washing car windows at Moravia Road and Sinclair Lane and offered them money to help him move some items. The squeegee kids agreed and got in Dixon's truck, the documents said.

According to the documents, moments after they arrived outside a home onEdmondson Avenue, Dixon approached the squeegee kids with a handgun, saying "Who did this to my mom, who took the money the other day." Dixon then began firing, striking the 17-year-old in the back of the head and the 23-year-old in the neck, the documents said. The third squeegee kid escaped without injury.

Police learned of Dixon's connection to the squeegee kids after Dixon spoke about it in a phone call to his brother, who was in jail, the documents said. Dixon and his brother talked about how squeegee kids stole money from their mother, the documents said.

The case was first reported by Justin Fenton of the Baltimore Banner.

Dixon's mother reported to police on May 18 that a group of squeegee kids stole $2,200 from her via the cash app on her phone at East Belvedere and Fenwick avenues. It was unclear whether the shooting victims were the same squeegee kids who stole from Dixon's mother.

Dixon was arrested on Sept. 22. He is being held at Central Booking and Intake Center in downtown Baltimore.

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Dozens of people have reported being victims of the cash-app scam by squeegee boys in recent months. In the scam, the squeegee boy washes the window of the driver who doesn't have cash. When the driver explains she has no cash, the squeegee boy directs her to pay via a phone app. At some point, the scammer gets a hold of the phone and transfers thousands of dollars out of the victim's bank account.

Dixon's case is another example of violent incidents involving squeegee boys.

Nearly two months after the double shooting, 48-year-old Timothy Reynolds got into a confrontation with another group of squeegee kids at Conway and Light streets near the Inner Harbor. Armed with a baseball bat, Reynold crossed busy Light Street to confront the boys. As Reynolds swung at the group, one of the boys threw a rock at his head, police said. Then, police said, one of the boys -- who was 14 at the time -- proceeded to shoot Reynolds, five times. Four shots were fired while he lay on the ground, police said.

Reynolds later died at a hospital. The case drew national attention and caused some city leaders to demand action on the squeegee kids issue.

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For years, young people, mostly Black teenagers, have congregated at downtown street corners washing windows for tips. Many drivers view them as a nuisance performing an unwanted service, leading to conflicts. In recent months, residents have reported that the squeegee kids have assaulted drivers, vandalized cars, and stolen thousands of dollars via cash app scams.

Supporters of the squeegee kids say they are just trying to make an honest dollar where opportunities in their communities are extremely limited. They say the reported violence is overblown and are mostly isolated incidents. Supporters of the squeegee kids say drivers wouldn't be reacting this way if the teens were white.

However, many of the City Council and the likely next Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates have said the squeegeeing has to stop because it's not safe for either the squeegee kids or the motorists. Mayor Brandon Scott has preferred to use social programs to persuade the squeegee kids into more traditional jobs. Scott has refused to clear the young people from the corners.

Follow Digital Reporter Tim Swift on Twitter. Email: timswift@foxbaltimore.com