In the early hours of February 17, 2024, a dispute that had been simmering between two acquaintances erupted into deadly violence inside a popular Edgewood, Maryland establishment. Dajuan Kyree Simmons, a 24-year-old man from Aberdeen, was fatally shot at D&M's Tiki Bar and Crab Deck on Pulaski Highway. The incident, which authorities later described as a targeted act, brought a tragic end to an ongoing feud.
Just after midnight, deputies from the Harford County Sheriff's Office were called to the scene for a report of a shooting. Inside, they discovered Simmons suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. First responders immediately began life-saving measures, but his injuries were too severe. He was transported to the University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Medical Center, where he was pronounced deceased shortly after arrival.
Witnesses recounted a chilling sequence of events leading up to the fatal encounter. The man later identified as the shooter, 33-year-old Parrise Marcellous Valentine, also of Aberdeen, had arrived at the bar with three other individuals. At some point, Valentine and Simmons saw each other, and the underlying tension between them became apparent. As Simmons attempted to walk away, Valentine followed him inside the restaurant. He then fired a shot, causing Simmons to fall to the floor. Witnesses stated that Valentine then stood over the wounded Simmons and fired several more times before fleeing through a back door and escaping in a car parked at a neighboring business. The brazen and public nature of the act left patrons shaken and the community searching for answers.
The investigation into Dajuan Simmons's death moved swiftly. Detectives from the Harford County Sheriff's Office identified Parrise Valentine as the suspect, and an arrest warrant was issued for him on February 18, 2024, charging him with murder and assault-related offenses. The search for Valentine extended beyond Maryland, and investigators tracked him to Philadelphia. On February 19, with the assistance of the Philadelphia Police Department's detectives and tactical officers, Valentine was taken into custody without incident. In a subsequent interview, Valentine admitted to killing Simmons, citing two previous fights with him that had been filmed in the weeks prior to the shooting and his fear of future altercations.
Parrise Valentine was extradited back to Harford County to face justice. In August 2024, he pleaded guilty to first-degree murder. The legal proceedings culminated on November 22, 2024, when he was sentenced for his crime. Valentine received a sentence of life in prison with all but 50 years suspended. He was also given a concurrent 15-year sentence for the use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence. The resolution of the case brought a measure of closure to the community, but it could not undo the violent act that cut short the life of Dajuan Kyree Simmons.
