Suspect at large, another arrested in Jersey Park Apartments shooting
Published 3:38 pm Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Two suspects, one in custody and the other at large, face charges in connection with a shooting in Smithfield’s Jersey Park Apartments that injured a 62-year-old man.
The victim, whom police have not named, sustained a single gunshot wound the night of Feb. 19. The Smithfield Police Department, on June 12, charged 20-year-old Kevin Richards and 19-year-old Jakye Jackson with the crime.
According to SPD Detective Sgt. William Wooley, both suspects face unrelated charges in Suffolk. Richards was already detained when the Smithfield charges were added, but Johnson had been released on bond.
There is now an active warrant for Johnson’s arrest. Smithfield Police are urging anyone with information on Jackson’s whereabouts to call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP or utilize the P3 Tips cellphone app. Information that leads to an arrest can earn the caller a cash reward of up to $1,500 while remaining anonymous and not having to appear in court.
Smithfield Police Chief Alonzo Howell, in February, said the victim was “in the wrong place at the wrong time” and likely “not the intended target.” According to Wooley, police believe both suspects were shooting and that the victim got caught in their line of fire. Police are unsure what motivated the shooting, Wooley said.