SALISBURY, MD - The Maryland State’s Attorney for Wicomico County has announced the sentencing of a 19-year-old Salisbury man for a fatal shooting outside of a Salisbury restaurant in 2023, as well as another shooting incident at a 4th of July block party.
According to State’s Attorney Jamie Dykes’ office, on April 15, 2023, Cashmir Holbrook was seeking revenge for a video posted online that he and his associates saw as a challenge in an ongoing gang rivalry. Holbrook and his associates located the victim outside of Pizza City the morning of April 16 and opened fire, killing 16-year-old Ja’siah Johnson and injuring a 22-year-old, according to prosecutors.
Over two months later, Holbrook arrived at a July 4th neighborhood party on Chippewa Blvd. Prosecutors say Holbrook attempted to fire an AK-47 in a continuation of the gang-related conflict, but the weapon malfunctioned.
Multiple people have already been prosecuted in the July 4 shootout investigation, and one other is awaiting trial for the Pizza City shooting, according to Dykes.
On August 8, 2025, Holbrook was sentenced to life with all but 40 years suspended for the murder of Ja’siah Johnson. He also received concurrent terms for a firearm charge in that investigation, as well as concurrent a concurrent term of 25 years with all but 10 suspended on first-degree assault for the Chippewa Blvd incident. Following his 40-year active sentence, Holbrook also received 5 years of supervised probation.
“Yet again, we see violent gang activity wreak havoc on citizens and families in Wicomico County,” State’s Attorney Jamie Dykes said. “We anxiously await the day when those who engage in such violence will decide that it must stop, for the sake of all those who suffer the terrible consequences that follow. Until then, my Office and our law enforcement partners will not tolerate this lawless behavior and will continue to work tirelessly to hold the perpetrators to account.”
