The Fifth District Court of Appeals has denied 29-year-old Dequan J. Hopkins’ request for release from jail as he awaits trial in connection with a deadly shooting in Mt. Vernon last July.
Hopkins, of Wayne City, faces charges of aggravated discharge of a firearm at an occupied vehicle and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The July 27, 2025 incident left two people dead and five others injured, with multiple vehicles also struck by gunfire.
According to details included in last week’s appellate order, Mt. Vernon police responded to South 15th Street and Lamar Avenue after reports of shots fired. Officers arrived to chaotic scenes, finding several individuals running and others suffering from gunshot wounds.
Detective Brylan Morlan of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office testified that surveillance video showed Hopkins running near the shooting scene, stumbling by flowerpots, and extending his arm behind him as multiple muzzle flashes appeared in the footage. Video from the city’s street camera system reportedly tracked Hopkins’ movements before and after the gunfire. Prosecutors said witness identifications, physical evidence, and Hopkins’ own statements supported the surveillance footage.
After reviewing the case, appellate justices upheld the trial court’s decision to keep Hopkins detained pending trial.
A pretrial hearing is set for December 9th, with a final pretrial March 3rd and jury trial scheduled for March 10th. Hopkins remains held at the Jefferson County Jail in Mt. Vernon.