Friends remember beloved homeless advocate killed at a bus stop

67-year-old Paul Behler was a piano player and tuner.

He helped start the group Housing our Neighbors and sat on many boards fighting for housing and health care for people who are experiencing homelessness.

CITY BUS STOP SUNDAY.

FRIENDSOF PAUL BEHLER SHARED THESEPHOTOS WITH US.

THEY SAY HEWAS A FIERCE ADVOCATE FOR THEHOMELESS IN BALTIMORE.

ANDTHEY TOLD WMAR2 NEWSKADHIM THEY HOPE HIS DEATHRAISES AWARENESS ABOUT ACOMMUNITY OFTEN IGNORED.6━year old Paul Behler was apiano player and tuner.

Hehelped start the group Housingour Neighbors and sat on manyboards fighting for housingand health care for people whoare experiencing homelessness.IT WAS A STRUGGLE HE FACED INHIS OWN LIFE.

Damien HausslingFriend 5:2━5:42“A lot ofpeople think of when theythink of people experiencinghomelessness is that itdangerous person and all thatstuff.

Frankly as evidencedright now wevictims rather than thoseperpetrating that kind ofviolence” Police say thesetwo men robbed and stabbedBehler to death early Sundaymorning.

Tony Simmons had beenbunk mates and friends withBehler for years.

Tony SimmonsFriend 24:3━24:52“It is sohard to find that way out.Itwell and they look down inthey say well heand move along.

Paul wasnthe first one of my friendsthat was stabbed to death andheI hate to say that but henot going to be the lastperson thatvictimized” Eddie KadhimBehlers friends told me onceyou get one eviction notice onyour record itimpossible to find somewhereto rent.

According to thedepartment of housing theresover 6,000 homeless people onany given night in Baltimore.And therevacant homes.

Behlers friendssay that margin is theclearest indicator of inequityof DECENT housing options forpeople who are forced to liveon the streets.

Voice of:Bonnie Lane Friend 13:2━13:35“Ialso really angry that thishappened to him.

Thereenough houses to houseeveryone in Baltimore.

Thereno reasons for Paul or anybodyto be outside” Adam Schneidera clinical instructor at theUniversity of Maryland Schoolof Social Work, worked withBehler in many differentcapacities over the years.

Hesays if the system didnBehler like it has so manyothers he wouldnthat bench for those two mento kill him.

Adam SchneiderUniversity of Maryland Schoolof Social Work 31:5━32:07“Ifwe can recognize and respectthe humanity of the people whoare being deprived of housingand who are housing insecureby canceling rent and byensuring we are creating anadequate supply of housingtha“Paul Behler didnover his head, and his friendssay he hasnfamily in years.

He did havethis group of people who knewwhat he meant to hiscommunity.

Lee Palmer Friend10:4━10:51“He meant so muchto meIt hurts all of us”Hoping his death opens eyesand changes hearts.

InBaltimore Eddie Kadhim WMAR2News.POLICE HAVE ASKED FOR THEPUBLICWORD ABOUT BEHLERS DEATH