Jurors convicted 27-year-old Jaden Shanks, of murder for shooting one man and grievously wounding a woman while the defendant’s stepchildren were in harm’s way. The Oct. 22 verdict was rendered just a day after closing arguments before Baltimore City Circuit Court Charles H. Dorsey III.
Shanks was accused of second-degree murder, two charges of use of a handgun in a violent crime and attempted second-degree murder. He’s also charged with first -degree assault, handgun on a person and two counts of possession of firearm in a violent crime. He was convicted of all charges and faces a maximum of 125 years behind bars.
State’s Attorney Ivan Bates said the message was clear, “[If] you choose to carry an illegal firearm and use it to settle a dispute, you will be held accountable for your actions.”
The incident stemmed from the death of Cameron Paige, 24, on November 21, 2025 on the 400 block of Saratoga and Eutaw.
According to court documents, on the day of the incident, police arrived on scene and found Paige suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and woman with a gunshot wound to the leg.
Both were rushed to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where Paige was pronounced dead.
Physical evidence recovered from the crime scene included seven cartridge casings. Detectives reviewed security camera footage from nearby businesses, and conducted interviews with witnesses, who identified a person said to be Shanks as the individual who shot and killed Paige and shot and injured the other victim.
During closing arguments defense attorney, John Deros, called Shanks as his first witness.
Shanks recalled events starting around 5:30pm the day of the incident, when he, his girlfriend and their two kids ran errands and ended up on a stoop while he ran to get snacks. When he returned there were two individuals on either side of his family, and his girlfriend saying, “What do you want to fight me for, in front of my kids”.
Shanks claimed he attempted to move his children when Paige pushed him on the ground and stomped him multiple times. Shanks says there was a tussle where they fought over a gun, and heard two shots while they were fighting.
He said in the moment he didn’t want to die–didn’t want his family to get hurt. Shanks was adamant that he did not arrive on scene with a gun and it his wasn’t his weapon.
“I feel regret and remorse” said Shenks.
On cross, Shanks said he’s never seen the man before, he didn’t see how Paige pulled the gun and didn’t see the gun until he was on the ground.
When asked if he shot Paige in the back, Shanks said he can’t recall. Shanks confirmed his family was living in a hotel for a week, before police say in a search they found bullets in a white boot and a gun in a gun safe. Shanks said he didn’t know anything about the weapon, a S&W MP9. A DNA analysis linked Shanks’ DNA to the gun.
Shanks’ girlfriend was the second witness, who confirmed the white boots belonged to her 15-year-old daughter. She also claimed two individuals had been following the family for a while. She confirmed the male was tall, light skin and heavyset and she didn’t know him, or the woman he was with.
However, the prosecution told a very different story. They presented surveillance video of the victims passing by a person said to be Shanks. The footage illustrates how the female victim gets into an argument with a woman and a child sitting nearby.
At that point, the defendant crosses the street and Paige confronts him, pushing him to the ground. During the melee the video appears to show three muzzle flashes from bullets aimed at Paige.
“The Defendant sat up and fired several more shots before getting up and walking away from the area as the victim crawled away,” according to a release from the State’s Attorney. The release notes that Shanks’ stepchildren, ages seven-and-11 were in the line of fire.
The prosecution used a PowerPoint presentation to summarize their arguments. Some key points were the victim identifying Shanks in court, the difference between murder and manslaughter–being degree of premeditation and intent– as well as the distinction between imperfect and complete self-defense–in other words, believing you’re in danger as opposed to really being threatened. She said the shooting was result of blood rage. “Paige shouldn’t have died for picking a fight,” said the prosecutor.
Meanwhile, the defense that Shanks was stomped multiple times after being slammed to the ground and “drug around like a rag doll.” The defense said Shanks saw a man who just attacked him heading toward his family; there was no time to stop his boiling rage.
Deros said this case is full of mitigating circumstances. .
However, the prosecution countered that Shanks was prohibited from having a gun–even though he claimed he didn’t have one– and that was the reason he was in court.
