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Suspect in deadly Hyatt Regency shooting makes first court appearance

Jacksonville, Fla. — UPDATE 9:45 p.m.: Action News Jax learned additional details about the shooting that occurred at the Hyatt Regency on Saturday, Sept. 4.

According to the arrest report, Cory Hall made several Instagram posts while at a birthday party that was held at Morton’s Steakhouse. He was seen wearing clothing and accessories that matched the suspect in the shooting.

The victim, who has not been identified, told police that Hall entered the bathroom and grabbed the victim around the neck. Hall appeared to be drunk.

Hall then grabbed a firearm and shot one victim in the head and shot another who came to the bathroom with the victim.

After the incident, Hall left the bathroom and entered a dark-colored vehicle in the parking lot.

Surveillance video showed a man in a multi-colored shirt exit the vehicle, walk toward valet and run back to the vehicle’s driver side before the vehicle took off.

A witness revealed that Hall rode with Paige Gallon in a black Chevy truck to the birthday party. The witness identified Gallon as the man in the multi-colored shirt.

During the investigation, Gallon, Hall’s cousin, was confirmed as the owner of the black Chevy.

ORIGINAL STORY:

The man linked as the suspect in the deadly Hyatt Regency shooting made his first appearance in court and faced a judge on Thursday.

Cory Hall turned himself in Wednesday night and was booked into the Duval County jail.

With a bond of over $1 million, the 29-year-old is being charged with second-degree murder and attempted murder.

RELATED: 19-year-old killed in Hyatt Regency shooting downtown; JSO identifies murder suspect

He is accused of killing a 19-year-old in the bathroom of Morton’s Steakhouse, which is inside of the hotel; a second victim was also shot but is expected to survive.

26-year-old Paige Gallon has also been arrested in connection to the shooting and is behind bars on a charge of accessory after the fact.

Action News Jax did not see him make his appearance but he has a bond set at $150,000.

A family friend of the victim told Action News Jax this is the first step towards justice.

“I’m just so glad because people like that, that vicious, they don’t need to be walking around on the streets like that,” Mary Dennis said. “You don’t know when they’re going to strike next and we don’t want them to hurt someone else.”

It’s now been 5 days since the shooting and no police reports with pertinent information have been released; no narrative or motive is known.

Action News Jax asked JSO how the three people knew each other and what the connection was.

We were told in an emailed response by a spokesperson that it’s still an active investigation and “If known, has not been released at this time.”

READ: 4 people hurt, including 2-year-old, in 4 separate shootings overnight

Investigators believe this was intentional.

Given the number of lives that were in danger at the hotel, Action News Jax asked how they ended up at Morton’s and was told the initial information of a fight leading to a shooting in the bathroom has not changed.

Hall’s next court date is Sept. 30. Gallon’s is Sept. 29.

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