Hate Crime Charges Added For Annapolis Mass Shooting Suspect: Prosecutor

ANNAPOLIS, MD — The Annapolis mass shooting suspect faces new hate crime charges, prosecutors announced Monday morning.

Charles Robert Smith, a 43-year-old white man from Annapolis, is accused of fatally shooting three Hispanic victims and hospitalizing three others with gunshot wounds on June 11. The state's attorney said another three victims were assaulted but not shot or injured.

The victims were all attending a birthday party when Smith opened fire after a parking dispute, charging documents said.

A press release said a grand jury on Friday indicted Smith, an Army veteran, on 42 counts, including:

• First-degree murder (Three counts)
• Race/religious crime resulting in death (Three counts)
• Attempted first-degree murder (Six counts)
• Attempted second-degree murder (Six counts)
• First-degree assault (Six counts)
• Second-degree assault (Six counts)
• Use of a firearm in a crime of violence (Nine counts)

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. It only brings charges against a suspect. Indicted suspects are still presumed innocent unless proven guilty at later court proceedings.

Smith is still being held without bond until his trial.

Authorities identified the victims killed as:

• Nicolas Mireles, 55, of Odenton
• Mario Antonio Mireles Ruiz, 27, of Annapolis
• Christian Marlon Segovia, 25, of Annapolis

Nicolas Mireles was the father of Mario Mireles. Segovia was friends with Mario Mireles.

A vigil was held on Father's Day to honor the late victims, who were all dads. The crowd gathered outside the Maryland State House and marched to City Dock.

"My little boy was taken away from me because of our races and this is not fair," said Mario Mireles' mother, Harcinia, according to WBAL and DC News Now.

Smith's attorney said the suspect is on five different post-traumatic stress disorder medications and hadn't taken the medicines for several days before the shooting, WBAL also reported.

Charging documents said Smith's mother called the City of Annapolis to report a car blocking her driveway in the 1000 block of Paddington Place.

The records say that prompted an argument between Mario Mireles and Smith's mother, eventually leading to a physical fight between Mario Mireles and Smith.

Smith is accused of shooting Mario Mireles multiple times and shooting Segovia before opening fire on the crowd coming to help them.

"This senseless act of violence was racially-motivated," said Segovia's brother, Julian, according to The Baltimore Banner.

Ethel Wirth attended the June 18 vigil. She runs the Facebook group Se Fuerte Annapolis, which connects Hispanic and Latino residents with resources.

"The fact that he shot at him [Mario] and then come back at him to do it again … it’s a hate crime," Wirth said, according to The Banner. "We are scared our kids will be the next Mario Mireles."

Patch asked Smith's attorney, Mark Howes, for his thoughts on the hate crime allegations last month.

Howes declined to comment, saying he is "heavily invested" in his investigation.

Recent reports said the Smith and Mireles families have had several run-ins over the years.

The Banner reported that Smith's mother filed a peace order against Mario Mireles in 2016, claiming he nearly backed into her car and also threw rocks at street signs.

Anne Arundel County State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess and Assistant State's Attorney Jason Steinhardt will lead the prosecution.

The Annapolis Police Department is still investigating this case. Anybody with information can contact Detective Larry DeLeonibus at 410-260-3439 or lcdeleonibus@annapolis.gov.

Tipsters can anonymously contact the Metro Crime Stoppers of Maryland at 1-866-7LOCKUP (1-866-756-2587), on metrocrimestoppers.org or through the P3 Tips mobile application.

The Metro Crime Stoppers is a non-police organization that collects tips and shares them with detectives.

Related:

• Gun Violence Prevention Plan Unveiled After Annapolis Mass Shooting
• Annapolis Mass Shooting Was Hate Crime, Families Allege At Vigil
• Annapolis Mass Shooting Suspect Is Army Veteran With PTSD: Reports
• Annapolis Mass Shooting: 3 Victims, Suspected Gunman Identified

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