Jackson, Mich. (WKHM) — The jury trial in relation to the June 2, 2024, fatal drive-by shooting of 17-year-old Kalil Calunga-Rodriguez that took place on Griswold Street began on Tuesday morning in the courtroom of Judge John McBain.
22-year-old Jayvion Hodge has been charged with Open Murder and Felony Firearm in connection with the incident.
During opening statements, Stormie McGee for the prosecution said that evidence from text messages will show that Hodge was driven to Griswold Street with the premeditated intent to kill Calunga-Rodriguez. She said to the jury that she is ultimately hoping to prove Hodge guilty of 1st Degree Murder and Felony Firearm.
Hodge’s defense attorney, Andrew Kirkpatrick, argued that both people had threatened each other’s lives via texts, and that the evidence and testimony will show that it was actually Calunga-Rodriguez who shot first, and that Hodge had acted in self defense.
The jury heard witness testimony from Jasmine Simmons, who was Calunga-Rodriguez’s girlfriend at the time of the shooting. She testified that an altercation at a baby shower at Kiwanis Park happened earlier in the day of the shooting after one of Hodge’s friends showed up uninvited, prompting her to tell Hodge to not come to the house on Griswold Street house via text.
Calunga-Rodriguez was a Lansing resident, but was visiting Simmons in Jackson for the baby shower.
Simmons testified that when they got home after ordering food at a restaurant, she and Calunga-Rodriguez pulled into the back of the driveway before Calunga-Rodriguez exited the car and walked back to the front of the driveway.
That was when she said she heard gunshots before Calunga-Rodriguez went back to her and fell. Simmons says she was able to see the tail end of a vehicle leaving the residence, but did not witness the shooting itself while shielding her child.
During cross examination, the defense argued that what Simmons testified to in terms of being able to see a vehicle was in contrast to initially telling police officers she was unable to see anything related to the shooting.
Multiple officers and detectives from the Jackson Police Department testified about the evidence that was gathered on that day, including a security camera video that was played from a neighboring residence in which gunfire could be heard close by off camera.
A camera system was present at the residence where the shooting took place, but the timeframe of the shooting was not captured at that point according to testimony from homeowner Shaquille Gibson. Those cameras had stopped recording just after Calunga-Rodriguez left the car after it pulled into the driveway as was shown in the courtroom.
Another home was observed to have three bullet holes following the shooting, as was testified by Amber Poole who lives in that house.
Further witness testimony and other court proceedings will take place throughout the week.