In the late hours of April 5, 2024, the life of 21-year-old Kalani Bailey-Cortez was cut short in a fatal shooting in Virginia Beach, Virginia. That evening, police responded to a report of gunfire around 10:45 p.m. in the 1200 block of Level Green Boulevard. Upon their arrival, they discovered Bailey-Cortez suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite the efforts of emergency medical services, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the death of the Norfolk man led
authorities to a 17-year-old suspect. On May 10, 2024, the teenager, Sa'Quan Tyreese Ward, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Due to his age, his name was not initially released by the police.
Subsequent legal proceedings revealed more details about the night of the shooting. It was reported that Bailey-Cortez and the mother of his child had left a party separately. The woman then sent a text message to Ward, asking him to pick her up. Meanwhile, Bailey-Cortez had driven a friend home. After his friend had gone inside, Ward arrived in his SUV and encountered Bailey-Cortez, who was in his parked car. Ward exited his vehicle and fired five shots at Bailey-Cortez as he tried to drive away. Investigators recovered crucial evidence, including doorbell camera footage that captured the shooting and a cell phone belonging to Ward that was found at the scene. The phone contained images and videos of Ward with a firearm that matched the caliber of the weapon used in the killing.
Though he was a minor at the time of the offense, Ward's case was certified to be tried in Circuit Court as an adult. After a five-day trial, a jury found Sa'Quan Tyreese Ward, then 19, guilty of second-degree murder and use of a firearm. His sentencing was scheduled for February 20, 2026.
