In the early morning hours of April 27, 2015, a 33-year-old man named Tyrone Woods was walking home in his Williamsburg, Brooklyn neighborhood, just a block from his residence. His journey was tragically cut short near Bedford Avenue and South 9th Street at approximately 12:55 a.m. Woods, a father of three, had just gotten off a bus and was carrying a shopping bag when he was targeted in a fatal encounter.
He suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his head, face, and upper body and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The initial investigation revealed that four men were seen fleeing the area immediately following the shooting. What began as an attempted robbery quickly escalated into a senseless act of violence. According to trial testimony, four teenagers had followed Woods for several blocks with the intention of robbing him. They confronted him, forced him to the ground, and struck him in the back of the head with a gun before shooting him. The brutal killing left a family grieving and a community in shock.
In the weeks that followed, the New York Police Department made significant headway in the case. Four teenagers were ultimately arrested and charged in connection with the murder. One of the suspects, 18-year-old Tyheim Smith of Red Hook, was taken into custody on May 14, 2015, and was found to be in possession of a loaded weapon. The other three individuals charged were Tylik Albright, Malik Francis, and Dominic Norris.
In December 2016, Tyheim Smith was convicted of second-degree murder and first-degree attempted robbery for his role in the death of Tyrone Woods. He was subsequently sentenced to 24 years to life in prison, bringing a measure of justice to the family of the innocent man who was tragically killed on his way home. The other three co-defendants were also charged and awaited trial for their involvement in the crime.
