Man Pleads Guilty to Downtown Durham Shooting
NEWS RELEASE
June 8, 2021
For immediate release
Man Pleads Guilty to Downtown Durham Shooting
DURHAM, NC — A man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to his role in a December 2019 shooting that began with an altercation at the Durham County Courthouse and culminated near Duke Memorial United Methodist Church, where children were playing outside.
Arlo Smith (20CRS169, 20CRS321) pleaded guilty in Durham County Superior Court to conspiracy to discharge a weapon into an occupied vehicle related to the downtown shooting, which occurred around 11:30 a.m. on December 3, 2019. In addition, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to discharge a weapon into an occupied dwelling for a separate shooting on December 5, 2019. Both offenses are Class E felonies.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Lindsey Spain, who leads the Durham County District Attorney’s Office Juvenile Team.
Spain stated in court that the December 3 shooting stemmed from an altercation in the courthouse between rival gang members who were appearing in District Court. Durham County deputies received intelligence that Smith, who was 17 at the time, had posted on social media prior to the court appearance threatening to shoot opposing gang members present in court.
Individuals involved in the altercation then left the courthouse and got into two separate vehicles. Shots were fired between the vehicles as they drove along Pettigrew Street, Blackwell Street, and Duke Street. Video footage captured Smith leaning out of one of the cars firing a gun. As the gunfire continued, one bullet entered the rear of a vehicle stopped at the intersection of Duke and Chapel Hill streets.
One of the vehicles involved in the shooting as well as four guns were found by police abandoned in the parking lot of Duke Memorial United Methodist Church. The other vehicle was later located by police on Holloway Street with bullet holes.
No injuries were reported. At least five cars were damaged by the gunfire.
“It should be noted that this chase ended around Duke Memorial United Methodist Church where several witnesses heard and saw gunfire,” Spain stated in court. “Children from the Duke Memorial United Methodist Church preschool were on the playground when teachers heard the shots fired. Teachers told investigators how they rushed to get the children inside as soon as they heard the gunfire.”
Federal authorities took over the prosecution of two other people charged in the shooting. Ryan Kenneth Richmond pleaded guilty in federal court on August 11, 2020, while Ravone Washington is awaiting prosecution. Smith was not prosecuted federally due to his age at the time of the offense.
In the December 5 shooting, Spain stated Smith and others were at Southside Tobacco on South Roxboro Street when shots were fired toward the store from a passing vehicle. Smith shot back, and a bullet entered a nearby apartment. A man was inside the apartment but was uninjured.
On each count, Smith, 19, was sentenced to a minimum active sentence of 20 months and a maximum of 36 months. Those sentences were ordered to be served consecutively. Superior Court Judge Michael O’Foghludha presided.
The Durham County District Attorney’s Office employs about 40 people, including prosecutors, administrators, victim service coordinators, legal assistants, and support staff. The Office is led by District Attorney Satana Deberry, who took office on January 1, 2019. The Office handles all criminal cases in Durham County. Find more information about the role of the district attorney on the Durham DA’s Office Medium page.
