17-Year-Old Defendant’s Hearing Continued in Edmondson Avenue Shooting Case

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On July 7, a Baltimore City Circuit Court judge continued a hearing regarding the shooting of multiple people in January due to the counsels’ need to review new evidence.

Baltimore City Circuit Judge Melissa M. Phinn continued the hearing to Aug. 29 during a reception court hearing. Defense attorney Jennifer Davis for defendant Daaon Spears and the prosecutor assigned to the case needed more time to review pending DNA and video evidence.

The 17-year-old defendant is charged in connection to a Jan. 4 incident on the 4400 block of Edmondson Avenue. According to court documents, police arrived outside a Popeye’s in Edmondson Village Shopping Center to multiple males on the ground suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Surveillance video showed a man meeting a second shooter before they fired at five victims. Witnesses identified the shooter as Spears from the video footage and stills.

One victim, 16-year-old Deanta Dorsey, succumbed to his wounds.

According to the Maryland Gun Center, Spears is prohibited from owning a regulated firearm because he’s a minor under 30 years old, with a disqualifying case decided in juvenile court.

Spears is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted first-degree murder, four counts of attempted second-degree murder, four counts each of first- and second-degree assault, five counts of firearm use in a felony violent crime, having a handgun on his person, having a loaded handgun on his person, possession of a firearm as a minor, three counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and illegal possession of a regulated firearm.