On a November evening in 2015, the life of 36-year-old Shaun West was abruptly ended in a Brooklyn apartment. The male victim was inside a fifth-floor unit in the Taylor-Wythe Houses in Williamsburg on November 11th, awaiting a female visitor, when two men reportedly burst in and shot him in the head. West, who resided on South 9th Street, was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders who found him unconscious and unresponsive around 9:45 p.m.
The news of his violent death
sent shockwaves through his community. Friends and family remembered West as a devoted father, often seen pushing his son in a stroller. Many lovingly referred to him as 'Smooth' because of his flashy style and confident walk. His brother described him as a great guy who loved his son and everybody, highlighting his ambition and good spirit. Just the day before his death, a friend recalled seeing him with his son and the child's mother, a poignant final memory of the man they knew.
In the wake of the shooting, which police suggested might have been connected to a gang dispute, the attackers fled and were not immediately apprehended. However, about a month later, an arrest was made. On December 9, 2015, police took 17-year-old Shy-Kym Samuel into custody. The shooting reportedly occurred inside Samuel's own apartment at 626 Wythe Ave. He was subsequently charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with Shaun West's death.
