Racist American mass shooting suspect of Annapolis now facing hatecrime charges 

Charles Robert Smith fatally shot 3 Latinos over parking dispute

By Edward Era Barbacena 

The man arrested in connection to shooting six people, killing three men, last month in Annapolis now faces hate crime charges.

An Anne Arundel County grand jury returned an indictment charging Charles Robert Smith with first-degree murder and hate crimes, as most of the victims were Latino.

Charging documents state the shooting erupted after Smith got into an argument over a parking spot. Authorities said Smith pulled out a gun during what they described as a tussle over the weapon with the host of a party at a neighboring home, Mario Mireles and Christian Segovia.

Police said Smith shot both men, saying he stood over Mireles and shot him several more times. Smith is accused of then going inside his home, and firing rifle shots from his front window at people who tried to help the wounded men.

"That was my little brother. He was my baby brother," said Segovia's sister, Marianna Segovia.

Police said Smith shot both men, saying he stood over Mireles and shot him several more times. Smith is accused of then going inside his home, and firing rifle shots from his front window at people who tried to help the wounded men.

"That was my little brother. He was my baby brother," said Segovia's sister, Marianna Segovia.

In total, Smith faces 42 different charges stemming from this incident, including three counts of first-degree murder and hate crimes. He is also facing six counts of attempted first- and second-degree, first- and second-degree assault, as well as nine counts of use of a firearm in a crime of violence.

Maryland law allows prosecutors to tack on years and fines if they can show the crime was motivated by hate toward a person or group.

Family members of one of the people killed told 11 News they are grateful, but also disappointed. Marianna Segovia, and her brother, Julian Segovia, told 11 News that they believe more could have been done earlier to address the animosity.

"Honestly, we are really grateful that they are adding that charge. At the same time, it is kind of disappointing that it took this incident for it to be taken so seriously," Marianna Segovia said. "In terms of the words 'justice,' I don't feel like there is ever going to be justice here. Losing somebody in that manner over something insignificant, there really is no justice."

"I really think that the hate crime charge is the very minimum that state can do in this case, and I just hope that serves as an example," Julian Segovia said. "He was always paying it forward, always seeing the best in people, never judging people, always trying, like, he was always, he was a beacon of love in the community, for sure."

They believe that had authorities taken the complaints of Smith's Latino neighbors seriously and early on, the shooting may not have happened. Marianna Segovia said the host of the block party, the Mireles family, tried to get a protective order against Smith years ago but it was denied.

"The Mireles family tried to have some type of peace order, some type of protection, and it was denied," Marianna Segovia said. "This is an example, a wakeup call. This violence is out here. It's real and the court needs to be more proactive rather than reactive."

"That presence of hatred is not just something that can be swept under the rug," Julian Segovia said.

Christian Segovia was a mechanic who is survived by a 6-year-old son.

The Latino community said Smith has a history of fighting with them that pushed one resident to take out a restraining order against him.

Online court records show Smith is scheduled to return to court on July 31.