CLEVELAND – Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley announced that a Cuyahoga County grand jury has returned an indictment charging Mark Hardy, 27, and Kenneth Patterson, 23, for killing two people and Da’Karai Johnson, 27, for shooting two people in Downtown Cleveland.

“This senseless act of gun violence cost two people their lives and injured two others,” said Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley. “It is a miracle that no one else was harmed by this cowardly act. My thoughts and prayers remain with the victims and their families.”

Prosecutor Michael C. O’Malley

On May 26, 2024, around 3 a.m., Mark Hardy, Kenneth Patterson, and Da’Karai Johnson were standing outside with a group of people near St. Clair Avenue and East 13th Street in Cleveland. They got into an altercation and Hardy, Patterson, and Johnson fired multiple times – Ta’Von Thompson, 28, De’Andre Smith, 24, a 26-year-old female, and a 19-year-old male were shot. There were over a dozen people in the immediate area of the shooting. Hardy, Patterson, and Johnson all fled the scene on foot.

The Cleveland Division of Police (CDP) and Cleveland EMS responded to the scene. All four victims were transported to a nearby hospital to be treated for their injuries. Ta’Von Thompson and De’Andre Smith were later pronounced deceased.

Further investigation by CDP revealed Hardy and Patterson shot Ta’Von Thompson and De’Andre Smith. Johnson shot the 26-year-old female and 19-year-old male. Hardy and Johnson were arrested by CDP on June 6, 2024. Patterson fled to Tennessee and was arrested by the Tennessee Highway Patrol on June 12, 2024.

On June 14, 2024, Mark Hardy and Kenneth Patterson were indicted on the following charges:

  • Three counts of Murder
  • Two counts of Felonious Assault

Da’Karai Johnson was indicted on the following charges:

  • Four counts of Felonious Assault

They will be arraigned at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center at a later date.