On a cold December day in Richmond, Virginia, the life of 24-year-old Antoine L. Smith Jr. was tragically cut short. On December 14, 2017, Smith was fatally wounded in a shooting, a victim of gun violence that shook the local community. Remembered by loved ones as a goofy, loving, and very nice person, his sudden death left a void in the lives of his family and friends.
He was a father of three children.
In the wake of the shooting, law enforcement began an investigation that would soon lead them to a suspect. A description of a vehicle seen leaving the area of the homicide was broadcast, and it was not long before an officer spotted a matching car. A brief chase followed, ending when the driver exited the vehicle and opened fire on the officer, striking his cruiser. The officer returned fire, wounding the individual.
The suspect was identified as 18-year-old James E. Williams Jr. Following the exchange of gunfire and his subsequent apprehension, Williams was taken into custody. In January 2018, a grand jury in Richmond indicted Williams on a charge of murder in connection with the shooting death of Antoine L. Smith Jr. He was also charged in relation to the shootout with the police officer.
