On New Year's Day in 2021, a celebration in Wichita, Kansas, turned tragic, ending the life of 26-year-old Nicholas Sims, a Black male. The festive gathering, held at a home in the 2600 block of North Bullinger with at least 50 people in attendance, was shattered by violence in the early morning hours. An argument erupted inside the residence between Sims and another man, Deajuan Calvin Smith.
The conflict reportedly began over Smith's alleged mistreatment of a female guest at the party.
The dispute did not stay within the walls of the house, spilling out into the front yard as party-goers were leaving around 4 a.m. It was there that the confrontation escalated fatally. Smith shot Sims, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident was not a random act of violence but the culmination of the earlier argument.
Following an investigation by the Wichita Police Department, a suspect was identified. On February 17, 2021, Deajuan Calvin Smith, then 22 years old, was arrested in connection with the shooting. Initially, he faced a charge of first-degree murder. The case proceeded through the legal system, leading to a development in June 2022.
In a plea agreement, Smith pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter. As part of this agreement, a charge of criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon was dropped. On July 21, 2022, a judge sentenced Deajuan Calvin Smith to 18 years in prison for his role in the death of Nicholas Sims.
