CLEVELAND — The second suspect who was arrested in connection with the mass shooting that took place in downtown Cleveland on July 9 appeared in court on Monday, where he was issued a $5 million bond.
On Saturday, investigators issued an arrest warrant for 24-year-old Kevin Raul Del Valle-Salaman. Del Valle-Salaman was taken into custody by Lorain police on Saturday and is currently being held at the Cuyahoga County Jail. He is set to be arraigned at 8:30 a.m. on Monday.
According to Cleveland Municipal Court, Del Valle-Salaman is facing nine counts of complicity charges. According to the arrest warrant, Del Valle-Salaman was driving the 2023 black Kia Sportage that transported the primary offender Jaylon Jennings.
During Monday's hearing, Del Valle-Salaman appeared in the courtroom from the jail via video conference and did not speak. However, he could be seen shaking his head as Judge Suzan Marie Sweeney chastised him for his alleged crimes.
"Sir, in the state of Ohio, conspiracy is considered just as serious as what the principal offender does," Sweeney told the defendant. "You've actually caused a lot of people a lot of distress. You've caused the public fear, and you've caused the businesses in downtown Cleveland a lot of money."
Police say Jennings and Del Valle-Salaman, as well a third male, entered Rumor Bar and Lounge before returning to their black Kia Sportage in a parking lot near West 4th Street, where Jennings got the firearm used in the shooting. Del Valle-Salaman allegedly waited in a parking lot until Jennings returned and then fled the scene following the shooting.
On Monday afternoon, a Cleveland police spokesperson told 3News that they have an arrest warrant for the third suspect in the case, believed to have been in the SUV with Jennings and Del Valle-Salaman. The warrant is for a 21-year-old named Jadis James, who's wanted for obstruction.
The mass shooting that injured nine individuals took place on West 6th Street near Johnson Court in downtown Cleveland at around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 9.
The nine victims were described as follows:
- 23-year-old man; shot in forearm
- 29-year-old man; shot in leg
- 26-year-old man; shot in wrist and lower body
- 24-year-old woman; shot in both feet
- 38-year-old man; shot in leg
- 23-year-old woman; shot in knee
- 27-year-old man; shot in both legs
- 26-year-old man; shot in leg
- 24-year-old man; shot in knee
Earlier this week, Cleveland officials announced Jennings of Lorain had been arrested in connection with the shooting. Jennings is currently being held on a $9 million bond.
Jennings is being charged with the following:
- Nine counts of attempted murder
- One count of discharge a firearm upon or over a public road or highway
- One count of CCW Permit - a handgun other than a dangerous ordnance
- One count of having weapons while under disability