Three people charged in Memorial Day weekend shooting that left two people dead

CLEVELAND – Three people have been charged for their alleged roles in a Memorial Day weekend shooting that left two people dead in downtown Cleveland, Cuyahoga County District Attorney Michael C. O’Malley announced Friday.

The names of the suspects are also being mentioned for the first time. A grand jury indicted 27-year-old Mark Hardy and 23-year-old Kenneth Patterson on three counts of murder and two counts of aggravated assault, while 27-year-old Da’Karai Johnson is accused of four counts of aggravated assault.

The incident occurred at about 3 a.m. on May 26, when four people were shot outside the Medusa Lounge on St. Clair Avenue. Ta’Von Thompson, 28, was hit by multiple bullets before being pronounced dead at MetroHealth Medical Center, while De’Andre Smith, 24, died days later after being shot in the face.

Authorities allege Hardy and Patterson shot both Thompson and Smith, while Johnson shot a 26-year-old woman and a 19-year-old man, both of whom survived. Although Cleveland police reported arresting three suspects last week, prosecutors now say only Hardy and Johnson were arrested on June 6, while Patterson actually fled to Tennessee before being caught last Wednesday.

“This senseless act of gun violence left two people dead and two others injured,” O’Malley said in a statement. “It is a miracle that no one else was harmed in this cowardly act. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families.”

The events outside Medusa were part of a bloody Memorial Day weekend in Cleveland, during which a total of three people were killed and seven others injured in seven shootings across the city. Mayor Justin Bibb said at the time he was “both saddened and angry” about the killings.

“Clevelandians deserve to feel safe in our city,” Bibb added. “My administration will continue to work with police, local partners, faith leaders and community members to reduce the number of guns on our streets, target violent crime hot spots and direct resources where they are needed most.”

Patterson and Johnson have no prior criminal records in Cuyahoga County, but records show Hardy, a native of Euclid, previously pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and aggravated assault, which barred him from possessing a gun. He was on probation at the time of the murders and was recently found guilty of violating the terms of his sentence, though he was not sent to prison.

Court dates for Hardy, Patterson and Johnson have not yet been announced.