Sentence Handed Down In Fatal Shooting Of Aberdeen Man's Friend Outside Edgewood Bar

ABERDEEN, MD — A 33-year-old man involved in the fatal shooting of an acquaintance outside an Edgewood bar has been sentenced.

Harford County sheriff's deputies were called to D&M’s Tiki Bar and Crab Deck in the 2200 block of Pulaski Highway in Edgewood for a report of a shooting Feb. 17 around 12:08 a.m. Officers found Dajuan Kyree Simmons, 24, with gunshot wounds. Deputies started life-saving efforts on Simmons until medics arrived. He was taken to the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center but died shortly after arriving there, police reported.

Witnesses described the shooting to 11 News as disturbing, saying the shooter wounded the victim and then stood over the victim as he laid on the restaurant floor, firing several more shots. Witnesses said the shooter arrived with three others, ordered food and drinks, and, at one point, the shooter and victim spotted each other. Witnesses said they believe the two had been involved in an ongoing argument, 11 News reported.

As Simmons walked away, the shooter followed him inside the restaurant and fired one shot, witnesses told 11 News. As Simmons lay wounded on the floor, the suspect stood over him and fired several more times, witnesses told 11 News. According to witnesses, the shooter took off through a back door, climbed a fence and got into a parked car at a neighboring business, Patchreported previously.

Detectives identified Parrise Marcellous Valentine, 33, of Aberdeen as the suspect in the fatal shooting of Simmons. On Feb. 18, Valentine was tracked to Philadelphia, Penn., and on Feb. 19, detectives and tactical officers with the Philadelphia Police Department took Valentine into custody without incident. In an interview with detectives, Valentine admitted to killing the victim after being in two fights with him that were filmed in the weeks leading up to th eincident. Valentine also told police he was concerned about additional assaults happening in the future.

On Nov. 22, Valentine was sentenced to life suspend all but 50 years to serve after pleading guilty in August to first-degree murder and a concurrent 15-year sentence for use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence. The first five years of that sentence will be without the possibility of parole.

“This is yet another significant sentence for a crime of violence in Harford County and another violent offender off our streets for what we hope will be the rest of his life. I’m proud of my team and how hard our office works every day to make Harford County a safe place to live, work and visit," said State’s Attorney Alison M. Healey.