Rakeem M. Jones, 23, waived his preliminary hearing before Erie 5th Ward District Judge Paul Bizzarro Thursday afternoon under an agreement with prosecutors in which the bulk of the charges against him, including the most serious offenses, were withdrawn. Jones waived to court a third-degree felony count of carrying a firearm without a license, a first-degree misdemeanor count of possession of a weapon and two second-degree misdemeanor counts of recklessly endangering. Prosecutors withdrew nine other charges, including two first-degree felony counts of attempted homicide and two second-degree felony counts of aggravated assault.
Jones remained in the Erie County Prison Friday on $250,000 bond in the case.
City police accused Jones of firing gunshots at a passing vehicle, striking it numerous times, on East 26th Street on July 28. Police said the driver of the car was struck by a bullet in the right leg, and a passenger was shot in the right shoulder and left leg. Surveillance video recovered from a residence in the area after the shooting helped identify Jones as the shooting suspect, according to investigators.
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