lax policing to set fire to and steal from their own community. injuring police journalists and each other. i think the violence is relative. freddie gray wasn t that type of person to break into no stores or nothing like that. i don t like it at all. the mayor and governor facing sharp criticism for standing down on such an emotionally charged day and then not seeming to have a plan leading to chaos. we ve been standing by in preparation just in case the violence escalated, which it did. when the mayor called we act visited. we were fully prepared. darkness adding to the danger. brazen standoffs between masked men on both sides hurling everything they could, even grud explosives at cops. police cruisers and neighborhood cars on fire. pepper spray largely controlled from a wall of resistance. what seems to be a suicide mission, a car racing past us right into the police line stopping feet away only to return to the fray. a night no one was safe. local stores lit up sp
this is nbc nightly news. reporting tonight from baltimore, lester holt. good evening. a special good evening to our viewers from the west from the shadow of baltimore city hall. a dramatic week of riots and peaceful protests, even like some take ing on right now. this culminated today in a swift, stunning announcement from this city s top prosecutor declaring that the death of freddie gray amounted to murder and manslaughter. and charging six baltimore police officers in connection with his death. state s attorney marilyn mosby saying even gray s arrest was illegal. the charges met with both celebrations and accusations of a rush to judgment. we have full coverage starting with nbc s peter alexander. reporter: what followed freddie gray s videotaped arrest the baltimore state s attorney says was homicide. we have probable cause to file criminal charges. reporter: the stunning announcement less than five days after riots ravaged the city s streets. marilyn mosby say
seen police responding with tear gas, and pepper spray. they also face what they call a credible threat of violence from the city s gangs. the latest demonstrations started shortly after today s emotional funeral for freddie gray. the 25-year-old man who was fatally injured this month while in police custody. our correspondentses and experts are standing by. they re following today s breaking news. let s begin in baltimore on the streets of baltimore where it s major, major tension that s erupted. cnn s miguel marquez is there for us. me miguel updates viewers here in the united states and around the world on what s going on. reporter: i just came from freddie gray s funeral. it is pandemonium on the streets. everybody thought it would be a day of reflection and remembering freddie gray. this is gwenns falls parkway. you see police moving in. moving down ricerstown road. look down the street a police car burning a short time ago. right down that is the area very close to
that happened today. several with broken bones this evening to tell you about. businesses are burned as we ve been showing you. businesses have been looted as we have been showing you. police cars are burned as well and destroyed. a day of shock and chaos, rioting and violence happening all over baltimore. but in the middle of all that in the middle of all that there is some reality, a good reality. there are people here citizens here who are trying to stand up to that violence including the pastors of some of the neighborhood churches in the area some of the leaders here. we ll get to all of that this evening and take you through all of it and give you the information you need to know like no other network can do. i want to get straight to my colleague, miguel marquez, he s been out in the neighborhoods all day, witnessing what s going on. what are you seeing where you are right now? we are at the southern baptist church near downtown baltimore. as you can see, what was go
restraint rules the day for both sides though bottles and pepper bullets fly. smoke canisters to push people off streets, sometimes come back. we have several people. reporter: tense moments tick by. but only those challenging the line disappear into a wall of shields. a handful of arrests. progress compared to the hundreds cuffed for looting and assault on officers just 24 hours before. on this day less water is thrown. a little boy instead offering water to police. many agree it was the community who brought peace. as today s baltimore orioles game is closed to the public for the first time in major league history, fear of violence remains. but many here say there can be a better way. everybody can be met with love. reporter: creating a love line between police and protesters. it s a big systemic problem we got to deal with. reporter: rival gangs calling a truce for the first time in baltimore history, according to gang members, the real problem they say decades