In the summer of 2018, a young man's life was cut short in a fatal shooting on Mohawk Street. On the night of Sunday, June 24, 2018, police responded to a call of shots fired in the 300 block of the street. Upon their arrival at approximately 11:07 p.m., they discovered 24-year-old Richard Smith inside his vehicle, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the death of Richard Smith led to the identification of two suspects.
A few days after the shooting, on June 28, 2018, 17-year-old Jaden Little was arrested and charged with murder. Another suspect, Alexander Bridges, was also charged in connection with the killing. Prosecutors stated that the motive for the shooting stemmed from a dispute over drugs and that the individuals involved had been lifelong friends. The tragic incident reportedly occurred in the driveway of Smith's mother's home.
In October 2021, a Mobile County jury found Alexander Bridges guilty of the murder of Richard Smith. According to the Mobile County District Attorney's Office, Bridges was the one who fatally shot Smith. Subsequently, a judge sentenced Bridges to life in prison for the murder. The murder charge against the second suspect, Jaden Little, was still pending following Bridges' conviction. In January 2023, the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals denied an appeal from Bridges, upholding his murder conviction and life sentence.
