Laurel shooting victim says Cinco de Mayo violence left her traumatized

A Laurel woman shot during the Cinco de Mayo violence at Amigos Mexican Grill says the attack left her traumatized, while her attorney says her family is preparing legal action that could force new scrutiny of how the event was planned, policed and approved.

Marilyn Perez was one of three people shot during the May 5 celebration outside the restaurant at 13600 Baltimore Avenue, and Laurel police later said the night involved two separate violent episodes, a shooting and a domestic-related stabbing. In all, five people were injured, with three shot and two stabbed. Perez said the shooting changed her life and that she was still trying to recover emotionally after leaving the hospital.

Her attorney, Andy Bederman, said the family believes serious safety and security failures surrounded the event and intends to hold responsible parties accountable. That legal fight now sits alongside a broader public-safety question in Prince George’s County: whether a crowded holiday gathering at a busy commercial site exposed gaps in event security that other restaurants and nightlife venues could repeat.

Laurel police asked the public for video or photos from the celebration as investigators worked the case. On May 15, the department said an arrest warrant had been issued for Michael Dakernu Dennah, 24, of Beltsville, and identified charges including first-degree attempted murder, second-degree attempted murder and related firearm offenses. Police said Dennah was wanted in connection with the May 5 shooting.

City officials moved quickly after the violence. Laurel Mayor Keith Sydnor said on May 6 that the city was concerned for the victims and thanked Laurel Police and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their coordinated response. Three days later, the City of Laurel said its Department of the Fire Marshal and Permit Services had suspended Amigos Mexican Grill’s use and occupancy permit effective May 8, citing preliminary findings that included misrepresentation of the security plan, misrepresentation involving the Prince George’s County Board of License Commissioners and misrepresentation of the intended use of the space.

The suspension was set to last up to 30 days or until city conditions were met. Planning records also show Amigos Mexican Grill had sought a special exception in October 2024 for live entertainment and occasional DJ performances, a detail that helps explain why officials later looked closely at the crowd size, tent setup and security arrangements for the Cinco de Mayo event.

The restaurant later reopened after the city-ordered shutdown. One later report said the city and restaurant reached an agreement limiting outdoor Cinco de Mayo celebrations in tents for three years and requiring the restaurant to pay Prince George’s County for extra law-enforcement costs tied to the May 5 event. For Laurel and the surrounding county, the case has become more than a single shooting: it is a test of whether warning signs were missed before violence broke out.