In the late hours of a Saturday night in Utica, New York, the life of 34-year-old Kwamae Raysean Dale Bang Smith was tragically cut short. On November 11, 2023, Smith, a male resident of Utica, was fatally shot at the HK Restaurant and Lounge on Varick Street. The incident, which occurred just before midnight, prompted a swift response from the Utica Police Department, who arrived to a chaotic scene with dozens of people present.
Despite the number of potential witnesses, investigators
were met with a wall of silence. Many of the 60 to 70 people at the scene were uncooperative with the police. However, through the cooperation of the establishment's owners and staff, authorities were able to identify a suspect. This led to a warrant being issued for the arrest of 27-year-old Tyrell Brown on a charge of second-degree murder. The weapon used in the shooting has not been recovered.
In the days that followed, a manhunt for Tyrell Brown was launched, with the Utica Police Department's Major Crimes Unit collaborating with the New York and New Jersey U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force. Authorities released a photo of Brown to the public, seeking information on his whereabouts. As of the latest available information, Brown remains at large, and law enforcement continues to seek public assistance in locating him.
Kwamae Smith, known affectionately as 'Bang,' was remembered in his obituary as a loving and caring man, devoted to his family and friends. A father and grandfather, he was working as a cement truck driver at the time of his death and was aspiring to better his life. His family and community mourned the untimely and unjust loss of a man they described as having a smile that came straight from the heart.
