Alleged drive-by shooter arrested

Editor's note: Joseph Jones is a Register correspondent representing vermiliondaily.com. VERMILION — An 18-year-old Sheffield Lake resident has been formally charged with five felonies in connection with the drive-by shooting that occurred in Vermilion on July 23. Jacob Bray turned himself in on Tuesday with legal counsel present, according to a statement released by Vermilion police. The Lorain County prosecutor's office charged Bray with the following: • One count of discharging a firearm into a habitation, a second-degree felony • One count of discharging a firearm at or near a prohibited premises, a third-degree felony • Two counts of improper transport of a firearm in a motor vehicle, both fourth-degree felonies • One count of improper furnishing of a firearm to a minor, a fifth-degree felony Bray was arraigned in Vermilion Municipal Court, and the case has since been bound over to the Lorain County grand jury. As of midday Wednesday, he remains locked up at the Lorain County Jail on a $50,000 bond. Charges are still pending in relation to a juvenile co-defendant. Vermilion police previously said it had recovered two firearms believed to be used in the July 23 shooting. The firearms, a shotgun and an AR-style rifle, were seized from a location in Sheffield Lake. The shootings sparked concern among residents after multiple rounds were fired into a home. No injuries were reported at the time. Bray faces significant potential penalties, including up to eight years in prison under the second-degree felony charge alone. Vermilion Daily will continue to monitor the case for updates from the Lorain County grand jury and court proceedings involving both Bray and the juvenile suspect.