In the early morning hours of June 3, 2023, the life of 65-year-old Jerry Carter, a Black/African American male, was tragically cut short in a burst of gunfire at a bus stop in a north Phoenix neighborhood near 29th Avenue and Bell Road. Another individual, 55-year-old Jessica Lynn Velasquez, was also killed in the incident, while a third person sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The sudden violence shattered the pre-dawn quiet, leaving a community in shock and two families to grapple with an irreversible loss.
Phoenix police officers who were in the vicinity at the time heard the gunshots and responded swiftly to the scene. There, they discovered the devastating aftermath of the shooting. Witnesses reported seeing a man, later identified as 20-year-old Germaine Smith, talking with the three individuals at the bus stop before he allegedly pulled out a gun and opened fire. As officers arrived, they saw Smith fleeing the area and immediately gave chase. He was apprehended a short distance away and taken into custody.
Following his arrest, Germaine Smith was booked on multiple charges, including two counts of first-degree murder. Authorities reported that Smith made admissions regarding his involvement in the shootings. The motive for the attack, and whether the victims were known to the suspect or chosen at random, has not been publicly disclosed. The case is currently moving through the Maricopa County judicial system, where Smith will face legal proceedings for his alleged role in the deaths of Jerry Carter and Jessica Velasquez. As of late 2025, there have been no public announcements regarding a trial date or potential plea agreements. The families of the victims and the community await the resolution of the legal process, seeking answers and a measure of justice for a senseless act of violence that claimed two lives.
