Wesley Lyons Jr. was found guilty of a shooting at his child’s birthday party inside the Harford Mall last June, according to Harford County State’s Attorney Alison Healey.
Lyons, 35, was convicted of attempted second-degree murder, among other firearms charges. The trial lasted four days.
Police said Lyons fired several rounds during a fight at the Harford Bounce Party Place. Police said a 42-year-old man who was helping set up the party for Lyons’ 1-year-old was trying to break up the fight when he was shot in the thigh, groin and finger.
A fight broke out between Lyons’ mother and the mother of the 1-year-old while Lyons took several seconds to clear a path before firing the gun five times at the victim, according to police.
After the shooting, Lyons led police on a monthlong manhunt, which ended when he was found hiding out in an Anne Arundel County hotel room.
Two women were also arrested in connection to the incident.
Surveillance footage showed that two other adults and two children were standing behind the man who had been injured, police said.
Lyons was prohibited from possessing a gun due to a 2017 conviction for possession with the intent to distribute and a 2009 conviction for robbery.
“However, I am particularly appalled by Wesley Lyons and the decision he made to commit this heinous and very violent crime at the birthday party for a 1-year-old child,” Healey said. “This is further exacerbated by the fact that he did so in the presence of multiple other children and adults as well, placing them all in danger, when they were simply trying to engage in a celebration for a child in a bouncy house in as public of a place as the Harford Mall.”
Lyons’ sentencing has been scheduled for Feb. 13.
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