'Incredibly depraved.' $1 million bond set for Massillon theater shooting suspect Corvon Thomas
MASSILLON ‒ A $1 million bond has been set for a 20-year-old Jackson Township man accused of fatally shooting a 27-year-old Canton man inside the Regal Massillon movie theater on Friday night.
Massillon Municipal Court Magistrate Andrea M. Scassa set bond Monday at the first hearing for Corvon C. Thomas. He is charged with murder and felonious assault, accused of killing Daron Davis and shooting a woman. The female bystander went to a hospital by a private vehicle, not an ambulance, and her injuries are not life-threatening, said police Lt. Nicholas Antonides. (Information was corrected on May 13 to fix an error. See correction below.)
Asked whether police had identified a motive for the shootings, he said, "It was a targeted act of violence on a specific person."
Antonides said Davis was shot as he was walking from a theater to the lobby, where he was pronounced dead at 11:48 p.m.
Massillon movie theater shooting: Canton man shot to death inside theater; suspect in custody
Chief Assistant City Prosecutor Andrea Bartos said the crime was "incredibly depraved."
"Although we have two listed victims, it very much victimized our entire community to have this occur in such a public space," Bartos said.
Thomas will have his next court appearance on May 20. If he waives his right to a hearing, the judge or magistrate is likely to send the case to Stark County Common Pleas Court for grand jury consideration. Because the murder and felonious assault charges are felonies, they would be adjudicated in Common Pleas Court, not Municipal Court.
Attorney Keith Warstler represented Thomas in court on Monday in place of defense counsel Aaron Kovalchik, who has been retained by the suspect.
Thomas has been in the Stark County Jail since early Saturday. He appeared in court by video link.
In addition to setting the bond that may be met with 10% cash or a surety, Scassa ordered the defendant to have no contact with the family of the deceased victim, the surviving victim and her family, and the theater. She said the order also applied to Thomas having others contact the protected parties on his behalf.
Bartos said the defendant does not have a criminal history, as far as the prosecutor's office could determine.
In a press release on Monday, Massillon police said they arrived at the theater less than two minutes after being dispatched at 10:47 p.m. Friday. The fire department also responded, checked Davis, and told officers he had no signs of life.
Police had escorted all patrons and employees from the theater by approximately 11:30 p.m.
They said the suspect fled immediately after the shooting but was seen in the Massillon Police Department lot at 11:40 p.m.
Police said the investigation continued on Monday. The theater was the only location where shooting occurred.
"Ensuring the safety and security of our citizens remains the utmost priority of the Massillon Police Department," their statement said. "Our resolve to protect and serve remains steadfast, we remain vigilant in our duty to uphold law and order."
Operations resumed at the Regal Massillon theater on Sunday.
Regal released this statement regarding the incident: “We received confirmation of an incident at our Massillon theatre on Friday, May 10, and we are currently working with local authorities regarding the investigation. Our primary concern is for the safety and security of our guests and staff.”
Correction: Magistrate Andrea Scassa set bond on Monday. The story originally contained a typographical error in her first name.
Reach Nancy at 330-580-8382 or nancy.molnar@cantonrep.com. On X, formerly known as Twitter: @nmolnarTR.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Massillon theater shooting suspect held on bond $1 million bond
