LAUREL, Md. (WBFF) — A former standout athlete is wanted for attempted murder after a Cinco de Mayo celebration ended in a triple shooting.
Micahel Dakernu Dennah, 24, is wanted on 18 criminal counts including three counts of first-degree attempted murder and three counts of second-degree attempted murder.
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Officers responded to the Laurel Shopping Center at 13600 Baltimore Avenue in Laurel, Maryland on May 5 to disperse a growing crowd after a restaurant there called Amigos Mexican Grill had hosted an earlier, outdoor celebration.
Investigators said at approximately 9:30 p.m. after a fight had ensued, officers there responded to the sound of several gunshots.
Three adult victims were located, including a woman and two men.
One of the men was critically injured, investigators said.
The victims were transported to area hospitals.
Police swarmed the Laurel Shopping Center, but by the next day the shooter had yet to be identified or located.
The following day, the Laurel Police Department held a press conference where they released images of the believed shooter and requested the public’s help in identifying him.
“Three victims suffered from gunshot wounds from what we believe is a single shooter,” Laurel Police said. “It appeared to be a high velocity round. We’ve released a few photos of a person of interest in this case. We do not know who he is.”
Investigators said the released images generated leads, including an anonymous tip the man captured in cell phone videos had previously attended High Point High School and had been a standout athlete at the school.
The suspect had been identified as Michael Dennah, according to court documents.
In the statement of charges found within the court documents, investigators traveled to the school where staff helped identify Dennah in the cell phone images, as well as in an MVA photograph.
A warrant was issued for Dennah’s arrest two days after the triple shooting; however, Dennah remains at large.
“The U.S. Marshals Service has joined the search for Michael Dennah,” Jennifer Mazza, Deputy Marshal, said.
The U.S. Marshals Service warns Dennah should be considered armed and dangerous, and the weapon believed to be used in the shooting has yet to be recovered.
According to court records, Dennah is known to law enforcement and was in fact on probation at the time of the triple shooting.
Records show in March 2025, Dennah was arrested and later sentenced to five years in prison for a possession of a handgun violation in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
The record shows a judge suspended all but about five months of his sentence.
An even deeper dive into Dennah’s records show at the time of his arrest in this 2025 case, Dennah had just finished or was nearly finished probation for another crime.
According to court records, in March 2024 Dennah was placed on one-year unsupervised probation for trespassing in Anne Arundel County.
“Dennah has a documented criminal history that includes weapons-related offenses, assault, auto theft, and prior involvement in a shooting-related incident,” Mazza said.
Anyone with information concerning Dennah’s whereabouts is asked to contact the U.S. Marshals Service at 703-407-9896.
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