Benjamin Ashford|Suspect in 2022 Sacramento mass shooting found dead in jail cell, attorney says

One of the suspects in the mass shooting in downtown Sacramento,Benjamin Ashford California, that killed 6 people and injured a dozen others in 2022 was found dead in a jail cell, his attorney said Sunday.

At about 2:15 a.m. on Saturday, deputies conducted a cell check at Sacramento County Main Jail and found an unresponsive inmate, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office said in a statement shared on X. Deputies then "immediately entered the cell and administered first-aid" as jail medical staff and the Sacramento Fire Department responded to the incident.

Crews then arrived and continued life-saving efforts but the sheriff's office said the 29-year-old male inmate was later pronounced dead at the jail.  

In a statement to USA TODAY on Sunday, attorney Norman Dawson identified the man as Smiley Martin.

"It is most tragic that Mr. Martin passed away, fighting to defend his innocence in the preliminary hearing process," Martin said in the statement. "Mr. Martin’s defense team sends our deepest condolences to his family, and we are here to support the family going forward."

The Sacramento County Coroner's Office will determine the cause of death, the sheriff's office said, which will investigate the incident.

Authorities: Deadly 2022 shooting fueled by gang violence

A large fight broke out before the shooting outside the city's entertainment district on April 3, 2022, where bar patrons filled the streets. In all, the shooting left six people dead and 12 others injured.

More than 100 rounds were fired as people scattered and dove for cover, video of the incident showed. Authorities said the shooting was fueled by gang violence and involved at least five gunmen spraying bullets into a large crowd.

"This tragedy downtown is a very public example of what families in many of our neighborhoods know too well," Police Chief Kathy Lester said at the time. "The suffering inflicted by gang violence does not limit itself to gang members. It spills over to claim and shatter innocent lives and harm our entire community."

The Sacramento County Coroner's Office identified the three men and three women killed as Johntaya Alexander, 21; Melinda Davis, 57; Yamile Martinez-Andrade, 21; Sergio Harris, 38; Joshua Hoye-Lucchesi, 32; and De'vazia Turner, 29.

Martin, who was 27 at the time, was one of the injured people found at the scene, allegedly took a live video on Facebook hours before the shooting and brandished a handgun. He faced charges of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession of a machine gun. 

His brother, Dandrae, 26 at the time, was also injured and taken into custody. He faced charges of assault with a deadly weapon and illegal firearms possession. A third man, Daviyonne Dawson, was also arrested in connection to the shooting.

Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY