Sacramento Shooting Mistrial
Mistrial Declared in Sacramento K Street Mass Shooting Case; Retrial Expected for Defendants
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Key Points
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Thirteen others were wounded in the April 3, 2022 K Street shooting.
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Victims killed included Yamile Martinez-Andrade, 21; Johntaya Alexander, 21; and Melinda Davis, 57.
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The trial featured frame-by-frame surveillance video showing the hours and minutes leading up to the chaos at 10th and K streets.
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Jurors were instructed to deliberate on the lesser offenses—second-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter—rather than first-degree murder.
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The shooting occurred just blocks from California’s Capitol, drawing international media attention and positioning it as Sacramento’s deadliest mass shooting.
A judge declared a mistrial in the K Street mass shooting case on Thursday after jurors deadlocked on murder charges against the two surviving defendants, Dandrae Martin and Mtula Payton, according to Sacramento Bee. The April 3, 2022, shooting near 10th and K streets killed six people and wounded 13 others, making it Sacramento's deadliest mass shooting.
Both men were convicted on weapons charges — felon in possession of a firearm — but jurors could not agree on second-degree murder or voluntary manslaughter counts, The Guardian reported. Prosecutors had already dropped first-degree murder charges earlier in the trial. The Sacramento County District Attorney's Office is now deciding whether to retry the case.
Jury Split on Motive After Months of Testimony
Jurors deliberated for weeks before declaring they were hopelessly deadlocked, Sacramento Bee reported. The trial stretched more than two months and featured frame-by-frame surveillance footage showing the hours leading up to the gunbattle. Investigators, witnesses, and the defendants themselves all testified.
The central dispute was motive. Prosecutors argued the shooting was a planned gang confrontation. The defense pushed a self-defense narrative. Jurors could not agree on which story fit the evidence, The Guardian reported. The judge gave them the option to convict on lesser charges — second-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter — but that wasn't enough to break the deadlock.
Six Killed, But Not All Count as Victims Under California Law
Among those killed were Yamile Martinez-Andrade, 21; Johntaya Alexander, 21; and Melinda Davis, 57, KSBW reported. Six people died in total and 13 others were hurt. The shooting happened just blocks from California's Capitol, drawing international media attention.
California law adds a complication to the victim count. Anyone who participates in a shooting that injures or kills someone cannot legally be counted as a victim in court. That means not all six deaths are treated equally under the law, which shaped how prosecutors built their case and what charges were possible.
Retrial Now on the Table for District Attorney
The Sacramento County District Attorney's Office must now decide whether to retry Martin and Payton on the remaining murder counts, CBS News reported. Both men still face multiple charges. A retrial is possible since double jeopardy — the rule that prevents someone from being tried twice for the same crime — does not apply after a hung jury.
Community leaders and victims' families spoke out after the mistrial was declared, ABC10 reported. Many expressed frustration and called for accountability. No timeline has been set for a decision on retrial, but prosecutors are expected to outline their next steps soon.
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