Police Arrest Salisbury Man for Smith Street Murder
(SALISBURY, MD) – Maryland State Police arrested a Wicomico County man in connection to a fatal shooting in Salisbury on Tuesday evening.
The accused is identified as Jonathan Leross Jobe, 18, of Salisbury. Following consultation with the Office of the State’s Attorney for Wicomico County, Jobe is charged with first- and second-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and other firearm related charges. Jobe is currently being held at the Wicomico County Detention Center on an unrelated arrest warrant.
The victim is identified as Dajaud Rae’heim Townsend, 24, of Salisbury. Townsend was pronounced deceased by emergency medical services personnel while en route to the hospital.
At approximately 5:35 p.m. on July 15, officers from the Salisbury Police Department responded to a residence in the 600 block of Smith Street for reports of shots fired. Responding officers located Townsend in the backyard of the residence suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.
Gun violence activist, Demetria Marshall-Leonard said the violence in the county has shattered the community.
“It actually broke me down because I was actually with that young man’s mom at a funeral, while she was burying her friend,” said Marshall-Leonard.
“It was to the point that I didn’t want to come outside this morning, because I’m out in the community fighting, just to see this keep going on. It bothers me so bad,” she added.
Marshall-Leonard is calling on city and county officials to help curb the violence, urging them to find ways to keep local youth busy with healthy activities.
“There should be some type of– something that the kids could actually do to keep their mid off the streets,” said Marshall-Leonard. “In other communities, you see them doing different things, and even the adults are stepping up doing things. There’s something that can be done.”
The Maryland State Police Homicide Unit assumed the investigation and identified Jobe as a suspect. Additional assistance was provided by the Salisbury Police Department, Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office and Maryland State Police Aviation Command.
The investigation remains active and ongoing.
