Men sentenced in Cleveland mass shooting
CLEVELAND (WJW) — A man responsible for a mass shooting in downtown Cleveland last summer was sentenced Tuesday.
Nine people were shot on West Sixth Street in July 2023. All victims survived.
In July, Jaylon Jennings, 26, was found guilty of multiple charges, including nine counts of attempted murder, felonious assault and grand theft.
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On Tuesday, Jennings was sentenced to 16 to 21 years in prison.
During the sentencing, Jennings’ lawyer said, “He accepts full responsibility for his actions. In my conversations with Jaylon, he stated that he is sorry for what has happened and he wished that he could take it back. Anyone who was a victim in this case certainly had a traumatizing experience and it should not be minimized. I’m glad it wasn’t the worst form of the offense because this could have been much worse.”
Jennings eventually was able to speak to the judge as well, saying, “I would like to apologize to the City of Cleveland and to everyone who was outside that night, the victims. My intention, going out that night, never was to cause harm. I just wanted to go out and have fun just like everybody else. I don’t know, honestly, what transpired. But I do take full responsibility.”
In January, Jennings’ accomplice, Kevin Del Valle-Salaman pleaded guilty to lesser charges of tampering with evidence and obstructing justice. Prosecutors say he was the getaway driver.
He was sentenced to 1 1/2 years of probation on each charge, for a total of three years.
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Prosecutors said the two men left Rumor Bar and Lounge, then walked back to Del Valle-Salaman’s car, where Jennings grabbed a gun. Jennings then opened fire toward people who were leaving a bar. The two men fled but were caught later that month.
“Eight of the victims appeared to be part of a targeted group of friends and an additional victim standing nearby was also struck,” prosecutors said in a news release. No one was killed in the incident.
“Jaylon Jennings is the poster child for what we see going on in our community — a coward who recklessly shoots into a crowd to demonstrate what a tough guy he is,” Prosecutor Michael O’Malley is quoted in a news release. “He will now have 16 to 21 years in prison to back it up.”
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