Annapolis community honors three killed in 2023 birthday party shooting over parking dispute

BALTIMORE -- It has been one year since a mass shooting in Annapolis left three dead and another three wounded over a parking dispute between neighbors. The victims' families honored their memory on Tuesday.  

What was supposed to be a celebration quickly became several families' worst nightmare in a tragic ending to a birthday party.

Charles Robert Smith, 43, faces 42 charges in connection with the 2023 shooting deaths of Mario Mireles, 27; his father, Nick Mireles, 55, and family friend Christian Segovia, 25, and injuring three others outside his home at Paddington Place in Annapolis. 

According to court documents, Smith returned home on June 11, 2023, when his neighbor, Mario Mireles, was hosting a large party with many cars parked along the street.

Smith's mother reportedly had called the police to say one of the cars was blocking their driveway.

Mario Mireles went to the home to argue about the parking complaint, according to court documents. Smith then reportedly got into a fight with Mireles and pulled out a gun

While partygoers attempted to render aid to Mireles, Smith went inside and grabbed a rifle before shooting out of a front window of his home, documents said. Nicolas Mireles, who was coming to the aid of his son, was shot and killed.

A woman was shot in the ankle, a man was shot in the arm and another man was shot in the leg and back.

Our media partner the Baltimore Banner reports some of the victims' families have received financial and other assistance throughout the year.

Survivors and families of the victims walked through Annapolis on Tuesday to remember those killed as they continue to fight for justice.

Harcinia Ruiz, Mario Mireles' mother, is still heartbroken over the deadly shooting. Fighting through tears, she told WJZ she misses her son every day. 

"He was my baby boy," Ruiz said. 

Ruiz said she's still trying to make sense of the shooting that left her son, and his father, dead.

"I'm trying to be strong but I can't," Ruiz said. 

Nelcy Goss said the three didn't deserve to be shot, including her brother.

"(Mario) was a great person, he was a hard worker, a great father," said Goss, Mario Mireles' sister.

A vigil community walk ended Tuesday night at City Dock.

"We're here so everyone can remember who they were and they know we're not going to back down and we're going to get justice for that day," Goss said. 

Smith remains in jail facing 42 charges, including three counts of first-degree murder and three counts of race/religious crime resulting in death.

Maryland's hate crime statute allows prosecutors to add years to a sentence and financial penalties if a crime was motivated by hate toward a person or group belonging to a constitutionally protected class, such as race or ethnicity.

His trial is set for early 2025.

Although the pain of losing her son will never go away, Ruiz hopes is served for her family and others in their community.

"I know that's not going to bring my son back but I don't want another family to go through what I'm going through," Ruiz said.