On the night of June 5, 2024, Javon Ward, a 30-year-old male, was fatally shot in a drive-by shooting in Albany, New York. The incident occurred around 1:45 a.m. near the intersection of Second and Quail streets in the West Hill neighborhood. Ward was walking to a corner store with three friends when a car approached, and multiple shots were fired from within the vehicle. He was struck in the back and died from his injuries at Albany Medical Center.
Two other individuals were also injured in the shooting: a 46-year-old woman was shot in the leg, and a 14-year-old girl was grazed by a bullet.
Authorities identified two suspects in connection with the shooting: Paul Smith, 22, and Daquan Arrington, 25. An investigation revealed that Smith and Arrington fired 19 shots from their vehicle. Smith was taken into custody on June 11, 2024, just six days after the incident. Arrington was arrested later. Both men were charged with second-degree murder, among other offenses.
In the ensuing legal proceedings, both Smith and Arrington pleaded guilty to reduced charges. Smith pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree manslaughter, while Arrington also pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter. In April 2025, Paul Smith was sentenced to 21 years in state prison, with five years of post-release supervision. Daquan Arrington was later sentenced to 25 years in prison, also with five years of post-release supervision. During the court proceedings, it was revealed that neither defendant showed remorse for their actions and had verbally taunted the victim's family members.
