Lorain man pleads 'no contest' to July 2023 mass shooting in Cleveland's Warehouse District

Jaylon Jennings pleaded no contest Wednesday to criminal charges that he shot and wounded nine people on West Sixth Street in Cleveland's Warehouse District in July 2023, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office announced. Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O'Malley said Jennings, 26, of Lorain, was then found guilty in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court of nine counts of attempted murder, 18 counts of felonious assault, two counts of having weapons under disability, and one count each of grand theft and receiving stolen property, all felonies. A "no contest" plea means that a defendant does not admit guilt but admits the truth of the facts in the charges against them. Jennings is scheduled to be sentenced at 10 a.m. Sept. 3 at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center. "What was supposed to be a fun night out in the heart of downtown Cleveland quickly turned into a nightmare for these nine individuals and dozens of others on West 6th Street," O'Malley said in a news release. "It is a miracle that no one was killed, and more people were not injured. Our community continues to be plagued by gun violence. This plea is a firm reminder that gun violence is unacceptable and we will hold violent crime offenders accountable in our county." According to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office, at about 2 a.m. July 9, 2023, Jennings, then 25, and Kevin Del Valle-Salaman, then 24, left the Rumor Bar and Lounge on West Sixth Street. They walked to Del Valle-Salaman's vehicle parked nearby, where Jennings got a gun out of the car and then walked back to West Sixth Street. He waited for some of the victims to exit Rumor Bar and Lounge, then fired multiple shots in their direction. Nine people were shot, including seven men — one 23-year-old man, one 24-year-old man, two 26-year-old men, one 27-year-old man, one 29-year-old man, and one 38-year-old man — and two women, ages 23 and 24. Four of the men were shot in the right legs, one was shot in the lower back, one man was shot in the right forearm, and one man was hit several times including in the thighs, right wrist, left hand and groin. The two women were shot in the legs. Eight of the victims appeared to be part of a targeted group of friends and an additional victim standing nearby was also struck. Jennings and Del Valle-Salaman then ran back to Del Valle-Salaman's vehicle and fled the scene. The Cleveland Police Department and Cleveland EMS responded to the scene and the victims were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. A police investigation showed the shooting was targeted and not random. Jennings was arrested without incident at an address in the 2900 block of Toledo Avenue in Lorain on July 11, 2023, while Del Valle-Salaman was arrested four days later on July 15, 2023. Del Valle-Salaman, now 25, pleaded guilty Jan. 9 to tampering with evidence and obstruction of justice, both felonies, in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Jennifer O'Donnell's courtroom. He will be sentenced at a later date at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center, the Prosecutor's Office said. Jennings still faces felony charges of marijuana trafficking and possession and possession of criminal tools in Lorain County Common Pleas Court in a case filed in December 2022. He has a prior felony drug possession conviction, according to court records. Del Valle-Salaman also still is facing charges of marijuana trafficking and possession in Lorain County Common Pleas Court, according to court records.