Even though he was an injured victim, closing arguments were underway on Aug. 12 in the trial of Steven Young Jr., 26. He is charged with first-degree assault, firearm use in a felony or violent crime, reckless endangerment, handgun on person, a controlled dangerous substance, possession of firearms and firing or discharging a firearm.
He pleaded not guilty to all charges. The case is being argued before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Lynn Stewart Mays.
Prosecutors showed surveillance footage from Jan. 12, where a person identified as Young can be seen leaving a residence and walking to a black car with an unidentified man before driving to the 4400 block of Baltimore City.
A group of pedestrians crosses the street when the car stops, and Young allegedly gets out and opens fire. The group returned gunfire, and Young was struck in the right buttock before getting back into the driver’s seat and fleeing, prosecutors said.
He was later picked up by ambulance, where he allegedly told emergency workers he did not know anything about the shooting and was shot at random. Investigators recovered one bullet fragment and eight shell casings at the scene, but no gun.
Defense attorney Christopher Purpura said the man seen firing first in the video is an unidentified individual dressed in all black, not Young. Purpura said a muffler spark is visible in the footage when that man’s gun discharges, and that the group then returns fire.
The defense claims no medical evidence established the bullet’s path, and that it is equally possible Young was shot while fleeing the gunfire rather than participating in it.
Jury deliberations are scheduled.
