In the late afternoon of Thursday, December 28, 2023, the life of 18-year-old Jakari Javion Smith, a Black male from North Charleston, South Carolina, was tragically cut short. Just before 2:40 p.m., the North Charleston Police Department received reports of gunfire on Fairwind Drive. Responding officers discovered Smith at the scene, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound. Despite the immediate response, he was pronounced dead at the location.
The Charleston County Coroner's Office later confirmed his identity.
The investigation into the shooting death of Jakari Smith led authorities to a suspect. Carlos Bennett was identified as being allegedly involved in the fatal incident. In early January 2024, Bennett was located and detained by law enforcement in Hinesville, Georgia. Following his apprehension, he was extradited back to South Carolina to face charges related to the shooting.
Upon his return to North Charleston, Carlos Bennett was taken into custody and booked into the Al Cannon Detention Center. The North Charleston Police Department announced the arrest, bringing a measure of progress in a case that had mourned the loss of a young man. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Jakari Smith's death is ongoing.
