A man who was held in a California jail for a 2022 mass shooting in Sacramento died in his cell on Saturday, according to the police and his lawyer.
The inmate, a 29-year-old male, died at the Sacramento County Main Jail around 2:15 a.m., the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on social media.
Public defender Norman Dawson identified the man as Smiley Martin, who was awaiting trial on three felony charges related to an April 3, 2022, shooting in Sacramento that killed six people and injured 12 others, including two of the alleged shooters.
Jail deputies found the inmate unresponsive during a cell check. Despite attempts by deputies and fire department personnel to save him, he was pronounced dead, the sheriff’s office said.
The Sacramento County Coroner’s Office will determine the cause of death and release the man’s name after notifying his next of kin. The sheriff’s office will also investigate the incident.
Martin was in the process of defending his innocence during the preliminary hearing at the time of his death, according to Dawson.
The shooting, which occurred around 2 a.m. in a downtown entertainment area near the state Capitol building, involved more than 100 shots fired in rapid succession.
Two groups of men associated with gangs started shooting as bars and clubs were closing, causing chaos as people tried to find safety. At least five gunmen were involved, according to police.
Martin, who was 27 at the time, was arrested while in the hospital recovering from gunshot wounds. He was charged with murder, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession and transport of a machine gun.
His brother, Dandrae Martin, 26 at the time, was also arrested as a “related suspect” on charges of assault with a deadly weapon and being a convict carrying a loaded gun. He suffered minor injuries.
Authorities said Dandrae Martin had posted a live video of himself with a handgun hours before the shooting.
Another man, Mtula Payton, was also charged in connection with the shooting.