Seven minors between the ages of 11 and 15 were detained after a fight led to gunfire outside of a Baltimore County Walmart on Wednesday, according to police. 

Officers responded around 5:30 p.m. to reports of shots fired in the 100 block of Carroll Island Road in Essex. Police said a gun was fired during the fight.

Police said the fight was an isolated incident and there was no danger to the public.

One minor suffered minor injuries to the upper body, and a second minor had a minor injury to their lower extremity, police said. It is unknown whether a bullet caused the injuries, a graze, or pieces of debris.

Maryland Department of Juvenile Services leadership

Maryland and local leaders are addressing juvenile crime across the state, especially those who are under electronic monitoring for prior offenses.

The state recently appointed Betsy Fox Tolentino to be the acting secretary of Maryland's Department of Juvenile Services. She takes over for the highly criticized Vincent Schiraldi.

Earlier this month, DJS announced new guidelines for young people on electronic monitoring who are arrested for serious crimes.

Juvenile services staff are required to detain youth who are arrested while wearing an electronic monitor until their next court date at the request of law enforcement. The policy took effect on July 3.

"Electronic monitoring is a really important tool in the continuum to support young people, but we have to make sure we're using it appropriately and in the right circumstances," Tolentino said. "So that means we're doing a really good evaluation, making recommendations for monitoring when it fits the situation. And with any tool, it's only as good as your operations around it."

Tolentino added, "So, we want to make sure our operations and our frontline staff who are showing up every day for our young people have what they need to ensure they are able to support young people when they are in the community on monitoring."

Juvenile crime in Maryland

Juveniles are believed to be responsible for a string of recent vandalism in Baltimore's Federal Hill community. Community leaders say that at least 55 vehicles and three businesses had their windows busted this past weekend.

"I felt sad to see a number of my neighbors wake up Sunday morning and look, you know, for companies to replace their glass. Most of these folks are gonna be paying probably $1,000 if their deductible doesn't cover it," said Jen Covino, the Public Safety Chair of the Federal Hill Neighborhood Association.

A Federal Hill business owner shared a video with WJZ that showed three people shattering the windows.

"So it happened Sunday morning, early morning, around 4:15 a.m. I checked my camera," owner Han Kim said.

• Baltimore County