Youth Sports Coach Shot, Nearly $100K Raised For Baltimore County Family: Reports

RODGERS FORGE, MD — A fundraiser has collected nearly $100,000 for a Towson-area youth sports coach who surrvived a shooting this weekend, multiple reports said.

FOX45, WMAR, NottinghamMD.com and The Daily Voice identified the victim as husband and father Mark McKenzie.

The outlets all said this GoFundMe is collecting money for McKenzie's recovery.

"After a senseless act of violence in our beloved Rodgers Forge, our friend Mark Mckenzie is facing several surgeries and a long recovery," organizer Matthew Garrity said on the fundraiser page.

The campaign had raised $96,114 as of 2 p.m. Tuesday.

"The outpouring of support from this community has been incredible and it is apparent that so many people want to help the Mckenzie family," Garrity said. "Their house is overflowing with food so we thought it made sense to channel direct donations to them so they can use the funds for whatever they need during this difficult time."

The shooting happened Friday just after 11:30 a.m. in an alleyway in the 400 block of Dunkirk Road, FOX45 said.

A police report for a shooting at that time and place said a 50-year-old man was shot once during an attempted robbery. He was hospitalized in critical condition.

In response, the Baltimore County Police Department will join local leaders and residents for a community walk this Wednesday at 5 p.m. The walk will start out front of Dumbarton Middle School, located at 300 Dumbarton Road. It will travel Dumbarton Road, Pinehurst Road, Overbrook Road, Heathfield Road and Dumbarton Road again.

"To know Mark McKenzie and Laura Stephens McKenzie is to love them," Severna Park resident Amy Mallia said on Facebook. "They need our support now more than ever. Midday Friday, behind his own home in the Towson area, Mark was shot in an attempted robbery. This senseless act of violence is incomprehensible. He is still fighting and beyond prayers, any show of support will help their family with the long road ahead."

Towson Rec Council Baseball and Towson United Boys Soccer both condemned the violence and shared the fundraiser link.

"Mark has been a long time member of the Towson United family, and one of the best coaches, mentors, fathers, husband and friends you’ll ever meet," the soccer team said on Facebook.

Detectives have not identified any potential suspects or motives.

The Baltimore County Police Department asked anybody with information to call 410-307-2020. Callers can stay anonymous. Tipsters can also submit information through the county's iWATCH program at iwatch.baltimorecountymd.gov.

The Metro Crime Stoppers, an independent investigator, is also collecting anonymous tips and sharing them with officers. The Metro Crime Stoppers offered a cash reward of up to $2,000 for information that leads to a conviction on felony charges.

Informants can anonymously contact the Metro Crime Stoppers by:

• Visiting metrocrimestoppers.org
• Calling 1-866-7-LOCKUP (1-866-756-2587)
• Using the P3 Tips mobile application
• Texting CRIMES (274637), then entering the message starting with "MCS."

This map shows the area where FOX45 said the shooting happened.