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By
Tahlia Williams [former]
- July 15, 2024
Attempted Murder
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Court
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Daily Stories
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Homicides
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Non-Fatal Shooting
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Shooting
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Suspects
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Victims
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On July 12, the third day of trial, the prosecution called five witnesses, including a bystander who recounted the events of the shooting before Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Jeannie J. Hong.
Jared Ford, 23, is charged with first-degree murder, firearm use in a felony violent crime, having a loaded handgun on his person, having a loaded handgun in a vehicle, firearm possession with a felony conviction, illegal possession of a regulated firearm, attempted first- and second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, first-degree assault and unauthorized removal of a motor vehicle in connection to two events that took place on Feb. 26, 2023, in the vicinity of the 5500 block of Bowleys Lane that resulted in the death of 22-year-old Mason Kelly, and March 2, 2023 at Jimmy’s Carry-Out located on the 2500 block of East Hoffman Street.
The bystander, who was also a victim in the shooting, said he was standing at the intersection of Hoffman Street and Milton Avenue waiting for his food at Jimmy’s Carry-Out when “they started firing out of the blue.”
The victim was shot in the right leg. He said he proceeded to walk home after he was shot to call the police. He was taken to Union Memorial Hospital for treatment.
During cross-examination, the victim stated he heard shots, panicked and looked around but wasn’t necessarily paying attention. He said he never saw the defendant.
A detective with the Baltimore Police Department (BPD), who responded to the scene, testified to seeing a shooter hide behind an Acura as it passed by the crime scene. The detective said he interviewed the occupants inside the car and determined that they were not involved in the shooting.
During cross-examination, defense attorney Roya Hanna established that while this area is known to be high crime and have a lot of shootings, the surveillance cameras in this area did not work.
According to a firearms expert with the BPD, one of the guns was a ghost gun that could be matched with all but one of the 12 shell casings found on the scene.
Along with surveillance footage in the area was not working, a retired BPD homicide detective stated the camera footage from the Sinclair Gates apartment complex located on the 5500 block of Bowleys Lane, were blacked out with spray paint.
However video footage was recovered from the side lot, revealing four unidentified individuals running to and away from the crime scene. Additional footage from an MTA bus was discovered showing these same individuals driving away from the crime scene in a Toyota Highlander.
In the defense’s cross-examination, Hanna established that the vehicle and firearm were dusted for fingerprints, but never compared to Ford’s fingerprints.
However, the retired detective said Ford was seen on video and admitted to being in the vehicle.
Testimony is expected to continue July 16.