Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Piper F. McKeithen denied a motion to suppress evidence in the Jake’s Skatepark shooting case, clearing the way for the October jury trial of Julian Davidson, 29, who is accused of firing a handgun during a chaotic group fight at the Inner Harbor skatepark on Feb. 28, 2026.
Davidson faces nine charges, including attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, use of a firearm in a felony violent crime, reckless endangerment, illegal possession of a regulated firearm, and multiple handgun-related offenses.
He previously rejected a plea offer on July 22, which included a 30-year sentence suspending all but 12 years, along with a concurrent five-year mandatory minimum for the firearm charge.
According to charging documents, surveillance video from the Maryland Science Center captured Davidson engaged in a physical altercation before briefly leaving the area and returning with a black bag.
The footage allegedly shows him pulling out a handgun, followed by a visible muzzle flash as the victim ducks and flees. Police later located Davidson inside a nearby carryout restaurant, where he reportedly matched the suspect’s description. Investigators say Davidson admitted to being at the skatepark, identified himself in a still image taken from the surveillance video, and acknowledged firing a handgun while running through an alley.
During the Aug. 7 motion hearing, defense attorney Jason Miles argued that Davidson’s statements should be suppressed because he was not properly advised of his Miranda rights and was not informed of the charges against him before questioning. Miles also contended that Davidson was treated as a suspect rather than a victim, given that he had been involved in the chaotic group fight that preceded the shooting.
Prosecutors responded that Davidson was properly Mirandaized and coherent, and according to the interviewing detective, who is also one of the state’s key witnesses, Davidson did not show any signs of being intoxicated or under the influence at the time of the interview. They further argued that Davidson voluntarily spoke with detectives and willingly signed the still-shot image identifying himself.
Judge McKeithen denied the motion, noting that there was no evidence Davidson was intoxicated, that the detective did not pressure him into signing the still image, and that Davidson provided two different accounts of how and why the fight occurred. The judge found that Davidson voluntarily waived his Miranda rights and spoke freely with investigators, ruling that both his statements and the video evidence were lawfully obtained and will remain admissible at trial.
With the motion resolved, the case is set to proceed to a jury trial beginning Oct. 1 before Judge Yolanda A. Tanner.
